Fall Apart
by Darikiema
Summary: Once upon a time there was young Australian who fell in love with the history and glamour of the Jaeger program around him. Among his favorite pilots are two particularly famous Golden Boys. But life has a funny way of kicking the floor from beneath your feet. AU
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Ok, so I always wondered why Chuck was such a dick to Raleigh. In my time being alive, I have noticed that, with some degree of certainty, people aren't jack asses because they were born that way, but because it's how they cope with a specific trauma or how they were raised (which can be traumatic for some people). However, even though loosing his mother at an early age and having a father who was hardly ever around would explain why he is a jerk, it wouldn't necessarily explain why he was so harsh to Raleigh. This is my way of trying to figure that out. And because I have come to realize that there are some serious screw ups with the timeline in Pacific Rim, I'm adding five years between the start of the war and Yancy's death. Which ages Raleigh to 32 at the end instead of 27. Just to let you know so you're not confused about the dates. And, in case you were wondering, any and all information I have in my stories comes from the movie and ONLY the movie. In my opinion, if they wanted it cannon, they should have put it in there. But I will admit to picking and choosing some information that is out there on the web. Mostly jaeger and kaiju names cause I just can't name them that well._

* * *

_Year 2030, Post Kaiju War: 5 Weeks_

_Decommissioned Honk Kong Shatterdome_

Raleigh wasn't exactly sure how he got roped into this. But, Mako had asked him to do it, to help her, Persy and Herc clean out Chuck's room. And, of course, he couldn't exactly say no to her. They were practically siblings and he would do anything she asked him to. Well, within reason.

However, this was borderline beyond reason. Not only did he and Chuck not get along, but he just knew that if Chuck was still alive and found him in his room, well, Raleigh would let him deck him in the face. It was plain asinine for him to be in here. But, still, Mako had asked him to help. So he would.

"Thanks for doing this with me, guys," Herc murmured, running a hand down the length of Chuck's Striker Eureka coat. He had been putting this off for weeks, too busy to take the time to clean out his own son's room. Too afraid that doing so would make the fact that Chuck wasn't coming home real. But, with the program shutting down, the Shatterdome being retrofitted to a warehouse/museum, he couldn't prolong the inevitable anymore. This had to be done, not just for Chuck, but him also.

"Of course, Marshall. You helped with Sensei's room, it is the least we can do." Mako's own voice was soft as she grasped the former ranger's shoulder comfortingly. He simply nodded, his voice no longer working.

Raleigh said nothing. Instead he chose to begin the task at hand. He was a stranger here; an outsider that didn't belong. Best to just get this over with as soon as possible.

The room was surprisingly empty for a conceded jerk like Chuck. There were no posters of his jaeger or photos of him with his hundreds of fans and groupies. There were a few letters (actual handwritten letters) that were spread out along the desk, waiting to be finished or simply mailed to the many people who had written for answers or support. They were surprisingly well mannered, nice even. Raleigh made a mental note to see that these last few letters were sent off before the end of the week. It was the least he could do for the guy.

Simple uniforms and a few graphic tees hung in the closet and the pilot's signature hat sat atop the nightstand by the bed. Herc had paused to run his fingers over a scarf. Clearly a woman's, the blond could only assume it had been the former's wife's. Chuck's mother's. Persy had finished cleaning out the bathroom; just a few soaps, a comb and a razor. Dog toys littered the floor- Max didn't even touch them. A few pictures of toothless kids and families were taped to a tack board above his bed, thank-you's and blessings were surely written on their backs: all people he had saved with his dad and Striker Eureka. A stack of reports on his nightstand, beneath his hat, and a relatively small miniature of his jaeger stood next to them.

_Pretty humble_, Raleigh thought to himself. Apparently daddy issues didn't affect his moral compass as much as he wanted people to believe. It was all just a mask. He knew a little something about masks. He should have seen the personality for what it was.

He and Yancy had been the same way. Both angry and cocky. Self assured and ready to prove it. The only thing that was different were the guardians that he had compared to the late pilot. Chuck had Herc, a real parent, but Raleigh had Yancy, an older brother who shouldn't have had to be saddled with the responsibility of taking care of his younger brother.

As he continued to reflect over the similarities in their characters, taking down the photos for Herc to keep, Mako pulled a long, flat box from a drawer in the desk. What had obviously been a shoe box was now covered in black paint and tradable stickers of different jaegers. It was comical, seeing a grown man with a box like that in his desk. But none of them laughed. A few small smiles, but no laughter.

"I didn't even know he still had that," Herc muttered, taking the box from Mako and sitting on the bed. She sat next to the brothers and Raleigh took the desk chair and kept an acceptable distance. This still wasn't right. Him being here. At least Chuck and Mako had been friends growing up. Kinda.

"What is it?" She asked, quiet and respectable, but they could still hear her curiosity had been piqued. Raleigh's too.

"Something he had since he was a kid. When the Jaeger Program was first starting out and my brother and I were co-pilots. He became obsessed with different Jaegers and their pilots. Even had two idols whom he followed on a regular basis. About five years ago he stopped. We thought it had been part of him growing up and that he had tossed it in favor of becoming a pilot. I'm glad he kept it," Persy explained.

"Who were they?" Raleigh asked quietly, his own curiosity outweighing his modesty and awkwardness. Instead of answering him though, Herc simply opened the box. Inside were jaeger action figures and folded up posters. Rolled up papers that looked like they had been crumpled up and flattened out again at one point. A shirt was shoved into the bottom, it's logo and shiny words facing the world. A stack of pictures was there also, dates coded on the bottom corners in yellow and red and orange. Smiling faces that he couldn't make out at his angle flashed out towards the ceiling, a deep glare from the lights above reflecting off their matte surfaces. The marshal began removing the toys (Gipsy Danger among them), setting them out on the bed, or handing them to Mako and his brother. A bright blue package that looked like it had once been a present that had never been opened was wrapped up in the shirt, the edges frayed and ripped while the faces where crumpled. It looked to Raleigh as though it had been thrown against a wall. Once everything had been removed from the box, Herc pulled out the shirt and the photos and handed them to Raleigh.

_Go big or go extinct, your friends, Yancy and Raleigh Beckett._

The silver words were bright against the dark blue Jaeger Team shirt for Gipsy Danger and they glared out at the pilot. His brother's handwriting (minus his own name) shined just as brightly to him now as they had when it had been written. The Jaeger Program's slogan were etched into the fabric with their names, a moral support given to the kid. But, it was nothing compared to the fact that he had seen this shirt before. _He'd met Chuck Hansen before! Him and Yancy._ They had been Chuck's heroes? Had Yancy's death and his disappearance had been the reason the kid had stopped caring about other jaegers? Was it was his fault that Chuck had lost someone to look up too? His fault, _all his fault!_

"Raleigh?" they asked. They had known about it, yet they had said nothing. Never once told him that Chuck had been a fan of his. The pictures in his hands told him that, nope, this wasn't all a big joke or a lie. Yancy and Raleigh both stood there, their arms wrapped around the shoulders of the thirteen or so kid squished between them, happy as could be with his face split in a wildly excited, shit-eating grin.

Mako's hand was on his shoulder, but he didn't notice. Yancy stared back at him, his face and Chuck's were both happy and kind, yet accusing somehow. The air around him felt hot, damp, thick. Pressure began to build around him, his lungs screamed for release, his head swam with sickness and screamed for him to get out. What little of Chuck was left inside the room became oppressive to the point were he began to sway. Clambering metal and kicking feet echoed in his mind.

He had to get away. Get out of this room; clear his head.

So he bolted. He ran from the room and out into the open, where crews were working to refurbish the dome. Their pace much more sedated compared to when they had been working on real jaegers, and not just replicas. But he didn't pay any attention to them, or to Mako and Herc calling out to him as he ran, Max barking his own protests to his retreating form. He had to get away.

All the while, the pictures and the shirt were clutched tightly in his hands.


	2. Chapter 2

_Year 2024, Year 11 of the Kaiju War  
Philippine Shatterdome_

Raleigh had never been very good at publicity. He hated the cameras, the flashing lights, the fake smiles, the screaming fans and mindless praise. He didn't do what he did out of duty. He didn't fight kaiju because it was the right thing to do.

He fought because he wanted to. Because the rush of being in a jaeger was the greatest thing he had ever experienced. The drift was the most exhilarating thing he had in his short, crappy life. Because the war offered him something that he had never had. A release for his anger. Anger towards dead parents, abusive relatives and a fucked up world and rationing and rioting and prejudice. Who cared if it was just an excuse to kick the shit out of something? Kaiju were bad and needed to be killed and he and Yancy were more than happy to oblige.

One thing was for sure though: as much as he hated publicity, his brother hated it more. They were both content to fight kaiju and be ignored by everyone else. That wasn't how it went though. Jaegers were only as good as their pilots, so pilots became rock stars. Awed by all and envied by those who thought they had the stuff to be in the conn-pod. And with the longest running Kaiju Kill Rate, Gipsy Danger was becoming one of the most highly publicized teams on the eastern coast of the Pacific Rim.

A light flashed in his eyes. A reporter shoved a microphone in his face, asked him how he felt about his most recent win. He flashed a fake smile, answered the question because he had to. Pentecost would have his head if he didn't. Or if he decked the tiny man in the face. The ghost drifting was strong today; Yancy was feeling just as frustrated with this photo shoot as he was. Their resentment overflowed their link and doubled with each passing moment and it was all they could do not to bolt. Next to them, Perseus and Hercules Hansen flashed their own cheeky, weary smiles while the Dimaguiba twins did the same from between them. Though, only the Hansen's seemed to be as fake as his and Yancy's. Even the jaegers at their backs seemed to be fed up with the press.

"All right, all right! I think it's been long enough. Our heroes need to sleep sometime. The next kaiju to emerge from the breach is in a few months, but pilots still need some R&R." Pentecost cried out over the jostling of the camera crews. Really, none of them had been so glad to hear his voice as they were at that moment. Next to the imposing form of the Alaskan Marshall stood his smaller counterpart, Marshall Datu Masiag, head of the Philippine Shatterdome. Both stood tall, impressive and commanding. The reporters immediately ceased moving, talking or anything really, and all six pilots took the chance to scatter. Some pilots could be glory hounds, but even the most egotistical couldn't survive long in a drivesuit outside their jaeger.

* * *

"Aw man, Pentecost must be a sadist. He was standing there for at least an hour before he rescued us," Raleigh muttered, rolling his shoulders, recently freed from his drivesuit.

"Don't we know it. I think he is still trying to fool everyone though. Can't imagine how little Mako manages to stand him," Yancy joked, pulling his younger brother's neck into his arm, pressing the palm of his hand to the blond mat of hair as they kept walking.

"Gah! Cut it out, Yance!" He cried, exasperated from the affection. The elder only chuckled, releasing his hold.

"Well, I'm gonna go crash. Comin?"

"Nah. Being backup's got me antsy. Think I'll walk around a bit."

"Oh yeah? Well don't be gone for too long. We ship out in 2 days. And while you may be able to catch some z's in a jaeger, you know you're no good in the helicopters." Raleigh glowered at his brother and the cocky smirk quirking his lips. He chose to ignore the slight and simply waved the elder off, continuing down the hall.

Having been in the Academy and Shatterdomes for the last seven years, Raleigh could pick his way around the facilities quiet easily. Especially since they were all built the same. He had his suspicions that it was so pilots and crews had an easier time of finding things when they were moved to new domes. So it was relatively simple to find the bay where Gipsy was being stored. Having been back up, they hadn't even gotten so much as a scratch on the machine. No repairs needed. Yancy had joked about their crews being happy when they returned to the Alaskan dome and he had to agree.

So, since no one was working on the jaeger, Raleigh was surprised to find somebody already in the bay. Hands pressed against the sides of the iron monster, feet kicking the massive appendage, the person looked like they were trying very hard not to scream in their fit of rage. He almost laughed- it was pretty comical- but he chose to stay quiet and watch from the other side of the bay instead. This end of the dome had each jaeger closed off from one another, locking in any movement or falling parts if the robots were being used in practice or under repair, keeping outside injury or death to a minimum. That and sabotage. Kaiju worshippers were more common in the smaller islands of the Pacific than they were in the bigger cities. Less protection from the monsters.

Leaning against the doorway frame, the pilot watched the figure continue his hopeless assault on the jaeger foot. Despite being a good hundred yards away from them he could clearly see the red eyes and the bit lip, blood on his knuckles suggested that he had initially started out punching the metal. Raleigh figured he had switched to kicking it to save his fingers. Dark pants and jacket proclaimed him to be military. He looked kinda young so academy maybe? Which meant steel toe boots, standard in case metal landed on your foot. It would protect your foot from most, but not all. The hat on him was dark green, new.

He let out a violent scream, kicking the Gipsy's foot again before turning away, plopping himself on the floor and leaning against it. His arms were wrapped around his knees and face buried in his elbows, making the hat fall off his head. Reeling in the amused smirk on his face, the pilot decided to play his hand at figuring out what was going on.

His feet padded softly on the concrete floor, the titanium shanks and solid heels were familiar to him now and he knew how to avoid making noise in them. So he wasn't surprised when, after silently walking over to the kid (as it turned out), picking up the hat and putting it back on his head, an incredibly surprised face met his own. He also wasn't shocked to see the red rimmed eyes and tear trails. He knew what it was like to be there. Angry and alone in it. Yancy was angry, but for different reasons, and until the drift, they had never understood that anger within each other.

"Hey," he started out softly. A tiny smile on his lips and a twinkle in his eyes. "I don't think Gipsy appreciates getting kicked around like that. Bad enough the kaiju get to tear at her." His mild joke was met with a sheepish shrug of the shoulders, heels rubbed into hazel eyes and a tight lip scowl.

"Sorry," the kid mumbled. He couldn't be that old, just entering puberty. Thirteen, fourteen tops.

"S'ok," the blond replied, sitting next to the kid. "Name's Raleigh. Your's?"

"Chuck," he mumbled, his accent thick and Australian. He seemed skittish, but what for was still unknown to the pilot.

"Are," he began, hesitant. "Are you Raleigh Beckett? Co-pilot of Yancy Becket to the Gipsy Danger?"

"Well, he's more my co-pilot. But we won't tell him that," he replied, nudging the kid with his shoulder, a smirk playing at his lips. Chuck's own lips split into a tiny smile before he suddenly buried his face in his hands, scrubbing the salty trails from his cheeks and muttering curses.

"Christ Almighty. Caught crying like a baby by thee Raleigh Beckett."

Raleigh laughed, a short burst of sound that rang out into the empty bay and reverberated off the metal of the jaeger behind them and the concrete floors beneath. "Don't worry about it, Kid. Been there myself," he confided, clasping his hand on the shoulder opposite the one he was sitting next to. He only received a small, sheepish grin in return.

"So, you wanna talk about it?" He asked, keeping his arm around the kid's shoulders, head resting against the metal foot of his jaeger and legs sprawled out in front of the two of them. Chuck simply shook his head and leaned into his side a bit. Despite wearing a jacket, the shoulder that pressed into his side was cold. Like he had been standing outside for some unknown amount of time. Upon his own natural instinct, he pressed the kid more fully into him, offering him warmth. A sigh escaped the kid and he settled himself to spread his legs out next to the pilots and lean more fully into the blond.

"He didn't even care," came a mumbled statement nearly ten minutes later. Raleigh said nothing, knowing that the kid just needed to vent and any interruptions would cause the clam-up effect. Instead, he ran his big hand along the gangly shoulder. The kid was tall for his age, his head rested against his own shoulder easily and his heels sat just above Raleigh's ankles.

"He told me not to watch. Told me to stay out of the way. Thinks its because I want to be some stupid groupie, but that isn't it. I care. Pilots don't come by everyday. We need them all and they're important to me. He's my old man. My _fucking dad_. He should get that. I stayed out on the helipad and waited for them to come back. Stayed out of the way and just watched the horizon for them, for you guys, to come back. But he didn't care. Just demanded to know how my studies were going. Fucking jerk wouldn't even care if I had fallen off the stupid dome.

"All this time I knew he didn't care, but I had fucking hoped. Just _once_. Why can't he care? I don't get it. Mum died and he acts as though I did too. Like I'm just some stupid brat that tags along for the ride and the show. Stupid prick."

Raleigh wasn't sure what to say, so he offered the kid his other arm instead. Pulling him close. He was right, his dad was a dick.

"It's ok. I'm sure he doesn't think that. He's probably just really busy and worried," he comforted. Australian: the kid had come with the Hansens and their crew. That wasn't right. Kids needed their parents around, yes. But what good was that when they were mentally absent? What he wouldn't give for his to still be alive. He knew that his life would have been vastly different. Perhaps he never would have been a pilot. Or at least would be fighting for the right reasons.

"No it's not!" Chuck roared, tearing himself out of the blond's grasp and stalking off to the other end of Gipsy's foot. Raleigh stayed put. Chuck was pacing now: "It's not ok! He's always doing this! He's always treating me like some little kid. But I'm not! I'm not a kid. I can fight and I will! Just wait, I'll prove it."

"I know," Raleigh chuckled, it was kinda funny. This kid, even though he had a different life than he had, was still so similar to him. Maybe this is what Yancy had felt like raising him for half of their lives. "I bet you'll make a great pilot. One of the best. You have the fight in you to prove it. You'll show your dad wrong."

Chuck, for some reason, seemed startled, taken aback by the confident praise. Raleigh, for his part, couldn't think of a reason why but was glad that he made him feel better. Instead of saying anything, though, the teen just sat back down next to the pilot, allowing the latter to wrap his arm around his shoulders again. They continued to sit like that for a long time, just glad for the company in the empty bay.

"So, you seem like you know a lot about the Jaeger Program and it's pilots," Raleigh ventured after a few minutes. Leaving his question open, he waited for the kid to take the bait. Chuck seemed more than happy to oblige.

"Hell yeah! Did you know that the Dimaguiba twins became pilots because their father was one of the first Mark I pilots? They practically invented the Mark IIIs. Big part of the whole thing."

Raleigh could only smile and nod, no he had not known that. Yes, he was aware that the Australians had taken down the biggest category two so far. And, wow, was this kid talkative. Like a walking history book of the Kaiju war. It was fascinating and hilarious. Reminding him of a time when he had been just as obsessed with airplanes and jet fighters and drove Yancy freaking nuts with statistics and detailed descriptions. It made his smile widen with each passing moment and every time the kid would gesture wildly and complain about no one else caring he would chuckle warmly, running his hand down the hardening shoulder.

"When I said you know a lot, I wasn't really sure if that was true. You really showed me, huh?" To his credit, Chuck managed to look a little sheepish. He even had a pink tinge his cheeks.

"Yeah I guess. Mako is the only one I know that really gives a crap, but I don't see her much," he muttered sullenly.

"You know Mako?"

"Yeah. Stacker and my dad were friends. I met her when he adopted her in Okinawa," he explained. Raleigh said nothing for a few more minutes, not sure how to respond to that. He hadn't figured Pentecost could have old friends. Instead of voicing this, he opted to waiting for the teen speak again. When he didn't, Raleigh raked his brains for something to say.

"Well, hey. As much as I really do find your depth of information fascinating," Raleigh began after a moment. He didn't know how to talk to kids. At least, not so that they felt better and were able to face their problems, that was Yancy's job. "How about I show you around Gipsy. Hmm?"

The blond may not know how to help kids with their problems, but that didn't mean he had no clue how to make them happy and at least occupy themselves until they could face real life again. And the bright smile that lit up Chuck's face only proved it. His own grin magnified and he eagerly hopped up from the floor and began leading the kid towards the conn-pod. Pentecost and his protocols be damned, this kid needed some cheering up.


	3. Chapter 3

Herc was at a loss. Where in the hell could his son be? Sure they had gotten into an argument over schoolwork (again) but that was no reason for him to just bugger off and disappear. Really, where had that kid gone? He still had his studies to do and he had to get back to maintenance on Yellow Banshee with Persy. He didn't have all day to waste trying to find his son.

Persy had mentioned something about him needing space, like all teenage boys do, but Herc wasn't too sure. They had really gone at this time. And he knew he needed to apologize to his boy.

Something hit him then as he stood in one of the many hallways of the Shatterdome. His son was teenager. Not a boy. Not the baby his wife had died begging him to rescue. He had started growing up and he had fucking missed it. She would have been so pissed at him. So incredibly furious it would be something if he survived her.

The small epiphany didn't go unnoticed by Perseus, but thankfully he didn't say anything. Though that grin couldn't be much more smug than it already was. Hercules scowled at his older brother and stalked off. He was going to find his boy on his own.

* * *

Stacker wasn't sure what to think when he saw his friend stalking down the halls like a lone wolf, his older brother trailing behind him at a sedated pace with an amused expression written all over his smug face. He had, for a long time, known that the two were constantly at odds with one another. It didn't matter that they were drift compatible or not. They rarely got along and the effects of their arguments were always rather comical. More or less because they were silent disagreements that only the young teen, Chuck, could decipher.

However, it didn't seem as though this was the case. At least not at the moment.

After having passed him in something akin to a dignified mad dash, Herc paused. Stacker tried not to look too amused when it seemed as though the other man was struggling to find words.

"How can I help you, Herc?" He supplied, still trying not to look as amused as he felt. It was a common misconception with everyone who knew him that he was emotionless. Well, except Mako. Herc and his brother were two of the few people who knew just how much raw emotion he kept bottled away.

"It's Chuck. You haven't seen him around have you?"

Stacker could see the hope in his friend's expression, a fear gnawing at the frayed edges of his nerves. He was confused as to why Chuck would disappear. True, he and his father argued more than they actually spoke to one another, but they usually worked it out sooner rather than later. For the boy to have gone missing meant that there was a serious disagreement between them. Whatever it was, Stacker was loath to have nothing for his friend.

"I'm afraid I have not. Perhaps he has gone to the mess hall. Or the bays? We are both well aware of his fascination with jaegers and the war. There may be some small place he has found to oversee the restoration to Santelmo Red that is out of the way. Your son grew up in Shatterdomes most of his life. I think it's safe to assume he can find his way around this one without being seen."

Herc sighed, sagging into the wall as he contemplated what he was told. It was true that his son knew the layouts of most Shatterdomes like the back of his hand, more or less because of the similar construction of them. But it didn't sound like his son to disappear like that. Usually he was loud and obnoxious and in the way. Purposely starting fights and antagonizing older boys as a sort of game. This wasn't like him. It didn't make sense.

"If you would like, Herc," Stacker continued after a moment. Perseus had managed to catch up with them and his concern was just as palpable as his brother's. "I will put out word that your son is missing and ask those that I come across to see if they can find him." Herc sighed with relief.

"Yes. I'd appreciate that very much. Thank you, Stacker."

The marshal nodded, his small smile playing at his lips as he left the two brothers. He knew what it was like to be separated from your child after an argument you can't take back. Mako was a good girl and they cared deeply for each other, but to assume that they didn't have their difficulties was foolish. They still fought, and often. But, at least Stacker knew how to swallow his pride and apologize. Herc still needed to learn how. And his stubborn nature could do with a good kick in the pants.

"I'll be sure to put the word out. I hope you find him, Herc. And in one piece."

Stacker left to the sounds of Persy snorting and Herc quietly berating him. He had work to do, but that didn't mean he couldn't have some fun with his good friends every once in a while.

* * *

_A/N: I know I said I wasn't going to add anything that wasn't from the movie, but Herc had a co-pilot before Chuck and it being his brother just fit. As for the name, well Herc is short for Hercules, so why wouldn't his brother's name be equally unique? That and the fact that they were both sons of Zeus just made it fit. And no it is not a reference to Percy Jackson. -_-#_


	4. Chapter 4

Chuck couldn't believe it. He couldn't fucking believe it. Here he was with Raleigh _freaking_ Beckett in the conn-pod of the Gipsy Danger. _The Gipsy Danger_! He had been dreaming of this day for years. The first and only time he had been in the conn-pod of a jaeger was when he had snuck into Yellow Banshee last year. His father had been furious, but he had gotten out of it when the marshal and his uncle started laughing. His father had told him to never do it again or he would get his arse kicked for it.

So he was more than happily surprised when Raleigh asked him if he wanted to try out the no-suit drift simulation harness. Of course he readily agreed to it. He just wasn't expecting company.

* * *

"Now, you won't be hooked up to the drift but you can at least get a feel for the harness. And be more prepared for the real thing than any of those other academy flunks," Raleigh explained, flashing a knowing grin that Chuck returned with enthusiasm. He would be prepared for it, and prove his old man wrong.

"Got it," he replied heartily.

"Hey! There you are, Kid. I figured you would be up here," a voice cried out, breaking their conversation. They both jumped, turning guiltily to the source. Said person paused, mouth agape and hand in the air matter-of-factly from when he was going to berate his co-pilot. Blue eyes scanned critically over the scene before him: an older man with an unknown teenager in a jaeger conn-pod, alone, the older strapping the younger into a harness without a drivesuit.

Yancy's lips quirked into an amused, smug smirk. Raleigh's cheeks burned bright red and he jumped back and away from Chuck.

"Well, what do we have here?"

"It's nothing, Yance. I found him in Gipsy's bay, upset, and I figured I'd cheer him up. He's a big fan of the program. Even bigger fan of us," the younger blond whispered conspiratorially (loudly) to the older. Now it was Chuck's turn to blush. The smug grin only widened.

"Oh really? Do your parental units know you're up here with him?" Yancy asked him, jabbing his thumb at Raleigh. Chuck smiled weakly and shook his head.

"He's pissed at his dad. Guy told him to stay out of our way, thinking he was some kind of groupie," the younger pilot supplied eagerly. Chuck flushed deeper. But Yancy's expression soured in response.

"Let the kid talk, Rals," he admonished, lightly punching the other's shoulder at his wounded expression. A small smile was received in response. A flare of jealousy blossomed in Chuck's chest, but he shook the feeling off.

"My old man is just an uptight prick," he quickly explained, ready to push the current topic of conversation aside. Yancy, though, didn't seem to be interested in doing that. He kept his tongue however and smiled brightly, devilishly at the two of them.

"Marshal is gonna kill you, Kid," he chuckled pulling his brother into a head lock. Raleigh choked, trying to wrestle his head out of the grip.

"You're not gonna tell him, are you? The kid just wanted to see what it was like!" He whined. His head was still grasped firmly the elder's elbow, but he managed to complain all the same.

"If I know were to find you, what makes you think he doesn't? And no, I did not tell him. But he was looking for you. Apparently there is a kid out on the loose and his father is searching for him. I think you found him first, though," he finished, tossing the squirming younger man onto the floor. Grumbling and red faced, Raleigh picked himself up and glared at his smirking brother.

"So, I know you two were trying to explain, but I think we should all start from the beginning. Don't you?"

Chuck, who had watched the playful banter between the brothers and realized that being half tied into the harness was enough to prevent escape, paused in his attempts to bolt and glanced up to the two pilots. He smiled sheepishly at them, angry that he was stuck and couldn't get away and didn't have a relationship like that with anyone and, God dammit, why couldn't his dad be like that with him? Some of the turmoil must have shown on his face because the two were silently watching him as he struggled to free himself again. He quickly became frustrated with his predicament and settled for staring glumly at the floor as he waited for the inevitable lecture.

"Here. The release is on this strap," Yancy murmured, tugging on a synch so he had to catch himself before he toppled to the floor. Not that he managed that. He was a little surprised at how fast the straps released him so he found himself in a heap on the floor instead. Above him, he heard Raleigh cough- trying (and failing) to hide a chuckle. He ignored it in favor of crossing his arms and glaring at the infernal mechanics around him.

"Ignore him," Yancy ordered, followed by a yelp. "He did the exact same thing the first time we did a no-suit simulation. Except he wasn't able to untangle himself without help and fell on his face."

He couldn't help himself: Chuck watched as his imagination supplied a younger version of the eccentric pilot falling on his face and he chuckled. Laughed. Outright giggled. It only got worse when the offended blond harrumphed and flopped onto the floor next to him in mock indignation. He could see it for what it was because of the small smile tugging at the corners of the scowl and the twinkling blue eyes. On his other side, his brother laughed with him.

"In my defense: I was sleep deprived and mentally scarred from the drift. There is some weird stuff in that thing you call a brain," he replied, jabbing an accusing finger at his brother. The other blond just laughed harder, clutching his stomach and holding onto Chuck's shoulder. In short order, they were a bundle of limbs and laughter, clutching onto each other as they tried to stay upright and keep breathing.

"In all seriousness though," Yancy began, wiping his eyes and shaking himself. "Why are you two up here all alone?" Raleigh only shrugged in response, mirrored timidly by Chuck.

"Told ya: Kid wanted to see the inside of a jaeger. He wants to be a pilot someday so I figured I'd let him see what it's like being in the harness. Weren't being creepy or anything," he finished, looking like he had swallowed something particularly bitter.

"I didn't figure you would be. I was just wondering, Rals." The younger blond nodded. Chuck sat back a bit, watching the way they communicated, but didn't really speak. He had seen it before between pilots. Those who had drifted, especially after years of training and fighting, often displayed symptoms of elevated ESP. He wondered if the two of them knew that they had only said about a third of what they thought they said aloud. His father and uncle had mentioned it being difficult to keep themselves to themselves and making sure they actually said all of what they wanted.

But something was different between these brothers. Chuck had witnessed drifting hangovers in other pilots, but what the Becketts had was stronger. Like what they had when the drift was still new. Still raw. Ghost drifting is what it was called. And no one had had it since they upgraded the drift systems to be more compatible with the human neural system. He felt a little jealous.

"Well what do you think? Being in a jaeger what you thought it would be?" Yancy turned towards him, his voice slow, like he was making sure what he wanted to say actually came out. His envy forgotten, Chuck nodded furiously, launching into all the different aspects of this particular jaeger compared to others of the Mark III generation. Occasionally he allowed the two pilots to ask him questions or correct him. It was fascinating to learn that the synapse system had to be downgraded to be compatible with the two pilots. Normally it was upgraded. And to find out that the crest for the Gipsy was actually taken from their grandfather's army ranger unit was just awesome.

"Damn, Kid. You really know your stuff," Yancy praised, clapping him on the shoulder approvingly. Raleigh leaned back on his hands, a smug smirk playing across his lips. "Shut it," he snapped in response, making the younger blond and Chuck grin wider.

"Is it true that they originally thought you two weren't drift compatible?" He asked after what seemed like some sort of silent battle of wills between the two blonds.

"Yes."

"No."

They glared at each other. Silently daring the other to contradict or explain. Finally they settled on a unified "Sort of."

Chuck blinked.

"They said it was unlikely. But not impossible," Raleigh exaggerated.

"What they said was: we were drift compatible with each other. But not with a jaeger," Yancy sighed, clarifying their botched answer.

Chuck blinked again, his brows knitting together in confusion. "How's that-?"

"Possible?" Raleigh finished.

"They didn't think that our neural systems would be compatible with any jaeger synapse system. Turns out it was just new ones," Yancy continued. Chuck stared at the floor in concentration. If he hadn't been used to his father and uncle starting and finishing each other's sentences and half speaking- half answering he was sure to have a headache from the two. Seriously, they were pretty hard to follow. Like twins or something.

"Hey, man. Enough about us. You seem to know everything- more than we do. Why don't you tell us about yourself?" Yancy prompted, nudging him with his knee. He too was leaned back on his hands, reflecting the relaxed position perfectly. Chuck groaned, crossing his arms and glowering at the floor.

"There's nothing to tell."

"Aw come on now! There has to be something. You didn't just pop out of thin air," Raleigh joked. "Did you?" He asked with such sudden solemnity it made Chuck laugh.

"No, you idiot. I didn't. I had a mom once!" He scoffed, lifting his nose in haughty incredulity. He decided to ignore their expressions, knowing they were smug. However, when the teen opened his eyes, he noticed that their faces were sullen, haunted.

"Had?" Raleigh asked, sitting up to wrap his arms around his knees. Chuck grimaced. He knew that their parents had died a long time ago, but he supposed it hurt them more than it hurt him.

"What happened?" Yancy asked cautiously. His expression was more guarded, but it still looked pained. They hadn't meant to upset him, he could see that, but Chuck didn't feel like telling them. Though, he supposed that maybe they deserved to know. They had been nice to him, made him feel better and Raleigh had showed him into the conn-pod to cheer him up. These guys weren't so bad. They were great. Maybe they would get it? Maybe they would understand why?

"My old man left the Australian military to join the Jaeger program after the fourth kaiju hit Shanghai and they had launched the program. I was pretty small so I don't remember a time before the war. I stayed back with my mum in Brisbane- before Scissure attacked Australia. I went on a field trip to a nearby national park or something- I don't remember, I was only six or so. That's when the sirens started. They couldn't stop it and the nearest jaeger was too far out to be of any use. By the time they did arrive, Sydney had already launched the nuke. He should have gone for her, but dad saved me instead," he finished, whispering into the silence around him. He was sitting up, arms around himself and head sunk low to his chest as he glowered at the floor. "He should have saved her instead," he finished.

Neither Beckett spoke for a while, thinking over what had happened. It was true that they had similar lives, but their parents hadn't died because of a nuke to kill a monster. It was just horrible to hear it, to know that it was a shitty situation and that the kid wished that he had been the one to die instead.

"For what it's worth. I'm glad to have met you."

Chuck looked up at Raleigh as he spoke. He really hadn't meant to start crying or express any sort of emotion. He supposed that his face was priceless because both brothers started laughing before Yancy pulled him into his arms. He wasn't sure why, but it felt good to hear that.

"You have it rough buddy. But, I bet if you asked your dad, he wishes- more than anything- that he had been able to save you both. Don't you think your dad would want his whole family? Why don't you give him a chance and ask? Huh?"

"Yeah, I guess," he agreed, sniffing as he roughly scrubbed his cheeks. "What is with you two and making me cry today. Jerks," he muttered. He laughed when they both cried out in indignation.

"Hey, I got an idea!" Raleigh chirped up suddenly. "Why don't you just hang with us for the rest of he the day. Give you both some time to cool off."

"Yeah. Rals here mentioned your dad not being there. Why don't you stay with us?" Yance mentioned, oblivious to the fact that Raleigh had never said that tidbit to his brother. At least not where Chuck could hear. Chuck didn't mention it though. Instead he nodded vigorously, genuinely happy and surprised to be asked such a thing by the two of the greatest pilots currently driving jaegers.

"Great. Say, how old are you anyway?" Yancy asked, slightly suspicious.

"I just turned fourteen. Why?" Chuck retorted defensively, crossing his arm and scowling at the older man. He simply chuckled and ruffled his brown hair. To which he cried out and swatted the hand away.

"Come on, Kiddo. You're with us," Raleigh said proudly, jabbing himself in the chest and strutting out the door.

"Yeah, just as soon as the two of you clean up your mess," Yancy called after him, amused at the way they both paused and cringed. Their sheepish smiles didn't change his mind though.

* * *

_A/N: For the record, I have no basis for Australia vernacular. So I f their slang is wrong, I apologize. I know for a fact a lot of it is wrong or is stupid. I just remember watching Mik when I was a kid. Brownie points to anyone who knows who that was! _


	5. Chapter 5

It was strange, being in a room with a couple of guys that he barely knew. Sure, Chuck knew all about them, from their Kaiju Kill Rate to their simulator vs. live drop rates to their jaeger specs and their public bios. But it was different being in their room. Even if it was a temporary residence while they were in the Philippine Shatterdome, it was still awkward. They were nice guys, sure, but it he was still unsure. He didn't know where he should sit or what was off limits. He had no idea what to talk about or what subjects were off limits. And, it's not as though they made it easy.

The smallest of hand gestures or facial twitches could amount to entire conversations with them. Thoughts and emotions were the prevalent in their relationship so they spoke very little. And when they did speak out loud it was off handed and out of context. At least to him. So he was unsure if and when he should comment. He had stopped asking what because they would pause and look at him as though he had grown two heads. Apparently they didn't realize they were even speaking.

At the moment, he was sitting at the desk with his backpack on it as he shuffled around to make sure he had everything. After having brought him to their room, the brothers had decide to go after his stuff and some grub. As they called it. They were kinda weird. Yancy had already been back for fifteen minutes with food before Raleigh finally arrived with his bag. It had been disheveled and kicked around. He didn't know if everything was still inside it, which was why Chuck was going through it. He was pleasantly surprised to find that nothing was missing and that his uncle had shoved a few bills of money into one of the pockets. At least he assumed it was his uncle. In any case, he was gonna keep them.

"What the hell is this?" Yancy asked, a little awed as he held up a disposable camera. Chuck couldn't help the raised brow at the older man's expression

"It's just a camera," he grumbled, taking it back and setting it next to his academy books. Only for Raleigh to pluck it back up again.

"I haven't seen one of these since I was little. Like three or something," he chuckled, handing it back to the kid. "All we've got is our dad's old black and white film SLR. Wanna see it?"

"What's an SLR?" Chuck asked as the younger pilot walked over to his bag.

"Single-lens reflex camera. Don't ask me why they call it that. Basically you can change the lenses on it. Technically you can use color film too, but I like black and white."

"Yeah, he thinks it captures the subject of the photo better than it could in color. Something about them being distracting," Yancy chuckled, nudging the teen in the shoulder, a conspiratorial smile on his lips before he sat down and began eating his brother's chips.

"Shut up. And those are mine!" He gripped, flopping himself to sit on the bottom bunk in the room. Yancy smirked before tossing the half eaten bag at he younger pilot. A silent glare was the only reply he received. The grin only got wider.

"I didn't know you could change lenses on cameras. I mean, the only things I've ever seen are just point and shoots like this, though most are digital."

"Yeah. They kinda began going out of style, only used by men who are in the journalism profession before the war. That and rich armatures," he joked, flashing a cheesy grin that made Chuck laugh. "After the war started, nobody cared anymore. Too many people were busy running for their lives to think about taking a picture. Those that did are almost as popular as pilots are."

"Great time to get into the news casting business," Yancy added.

"I heard about that. A big boom because hot heads who weren't used to that kind of danger kept getting killed?"

"Something like that," the older blonde chuckled, ruffling the teen's hair affectionately. Chuck grumbled, batting the hand away before he returned his attention towards the younger, laughing blond.

"Anyway, this is one of the last few things we have of our dad left. He was pretty into it for a pastime."

"Yeah. Used to drive our mom nuts. He would run around the house taking pictures of her doing simple chores or chased us with it until we were so hyper we couldn't sleep all night."

"Sounds like fun," Chuck murmured, staring glumly down at the floor.

"It was. It didn't last too long though, mom got sick and dad got pretty neurotic over her health."

Raleigh said nothing as his brother explained, choosing to search his duffle for the camera bag. The frayed, black leather bag was scuffed and on its way to falling apart. The straps had been torn off and sewn back on so many times, the area where they belonged had to be reinforced with dark canvas on the inside. It's inside was covered in padded black satin, a pocket on all four sides and two on the top. Two lenses sat on the inside, a silver and black camera tucked into the side of a different section. The blond removed the camera, a black leather strap draped from its sides, and set it aside gently. He carefully pulled out the shorter of the two lenses.

Chuck watched as the pilot expertly removed the backing from the camera and inserted a new roll of film, twisting the lens into place. He took a simple look around the room before twisting a dial here, adjusting a nob there and popping the lenses cap off before he put it to his eye, turning it towards him and twisted a ring before pushing the shutter button.

"Fuck!" He suddenly shouted. A furious scowl covered his face, twisted his lips into a terrifying expression of molten rage. He handed the camera over to his brother before jumping up and kicking the post of the bunk leg. He didn't even flinch when the thing sang in protest. Chuck watched warily, surprised at the outburst.

"Those fucking bastard! I told them... How could they? Don't they know how rare...? I am so gonna..." He cried out, panting and running his hands through his hair. Chuck didn't know what could cause this sort of reaction, but it looked like it had to do with inside of that camera.

Yancy, meanwhile had ignored the other blond and looked into the eyepiece. His expression immediately turned sour, but he didn't cry out in a huff. Instead, he turned the camera towards the angry pilot and snapped the shutter.

"That isn't funny, Yance."

"I know. But your face is," he replied with a cheeky grin. It was strained, but he looked much more calm. Raleigh simply grumbled, taking the camera back and setting it down. In a matter of seconds, he had the second, much longer lens on the thing and was turning this way and that with it attached to his head. He carefully turned the ring on the outside, snapping a photo of a concerned Chuck and an amused Yancy.

"Is that one broken too?"

"No. Just the other one. I told them not to toss my duffle around like that. Those idiots have no idea just how fragile this thing is. Sorry," he mumbled, rubbing the back of his head and dropping to sit on the floor next to the bed. Chuck turned his head to the side, confused.

"He didn't mean to act like a hot head. He just gets wound up sometimes. The camera is pretty important to us. Not just for sentimental reasons, but because it helps us keep track of things. Helps us remember certain events and places."

"In case of drift malfunction or something. The older systems were kind of glitchy and you never know what will happen to you when you fight a kaiju. Precautionary actions never hurt anyone," Raleigh defended. Yancy just shook his head as Chuck tried not to laugh. It was kinda funny. Pilots died when something went wrong in a fight, not loose their memories. That was just plain stupid. But it was kind of a neat idea.

"Well, hey! You have a camera. Why don't you get started on your own collection. Even if nothing happens to you in the drift, or you don't get amnesia or something, it's always nice to have a picture around. If not for you then to show to other people," Yancy exclaimed as he took Chuck's camera and pointed it at Raleigh. The blond looked up from where he had been messing with the broken lens when he heard the snapping and whirring of an electronic camera. He just rolled his eyes and flashed a charming grin. Yancy snapped it again.

"Don't you have reports to do or something?"

"No. I have reports I have to do later tonight. For right now though, you and I are gonna go see the sights of Manila. The kid here needs some time away from the PPDC and what better way than to take him out to a foreign country and see if the black market has a new lens for the camera."

Raleigh grinned, a devilish smirk that made Chuck snort with amusement. These two were dorks. But they were nice dorks.

* * *

"Do not take pictures of me with a pencil in my mouth!" Yancy snapped around said utensil. Raleigh only snickered as he turned the camera towards himself as he sat beside Chuck. The two smiled matching goofy expressions, their lips pulled all the way back to show as many of their teeth as they could. The shutter snapped and they fell into a bout of giggles. Chuck heard the shutter snap again and looked up to see Yancy pointing the SLR at them, a soft smile on his own face.

"You two are just adorable, you know that?"

"Shut up," they whined in unison. The pilot just chuckled, returning to his reports.

* * *

"Here, why don't you have a picture of all of us in front of Gipsy?" Raleigh suggested, stopping a passerby worker and asking them in stilted Filipino to take a picture for them. The man smiled when the blond slipped a few bills into his hand, nodding vigorously.

"Really? Sweet!" He cried out, jumping to stand a good hundred yards in front of the jaeger in question. Both pilots glanced at each other, grinning as widely as the teen they had been harboring for the day. The tech squished his hands together so the two pilots took a side and grabbed a shoulder of the kid. The man nodded, pushing the button and holding the camera out for them to take when finished.

"This is so awesome! I can't wait to show those dumbies at the academy back home! Thank you guys so much!"

"No problem, Kid," Yancy replied, ruffling Chuck's hair again. The teen only smiled brighter and pranced after the two pilots as they made their way out of the bay.

* * *

"You two knew where he was this whole time, yet you said nothing? You even took him off the base and into the city without his father's consent? Do you have any idea the trouble you have caused?" Pentecost shouted. Raleigh cringed. He didn't think it had been that bad. It was just for a few hours. Hell they had brought him back in time for dinner. What was the big deal?

Oh wait. It was the fact that their new friend, Chuck, just so happened to be Hercules Hansen's son. Godson to his uncle, Perseus Hansen. As if their situation couldn't get any worse.

Chuck stood at the edge of the room, his head hung low as he stood between his guardians while his idols were being yelled at. Yancy, despite being admonished, managed to hold his head up and maintain a calm demeanor. Raleigh, on the other hand, had his head down about as low as Chuck's. Only his was in rage. How dare Pentecost yell at them for this. It wasn't as though they knew the kid was a Hansen. Hell, all they knew was that he had been upset with his father and needed some time to cool off. The only reason he wasn't trying to defend himself was because the kid wasn't having his ass chewed out. He had a guess that he would later, but at least it wasn't here.

For the most part, the Becketts had taken decent care of the fourteen year old. They had seen he was fed and kept safe. Never let him out of their sight, always made sure he was happy and generally kept him laughing the whole time. Never once had they argued with him. Unlike his father. Or so they assumed. Stacker could see this. He could tell from the way the boy was laughing and unharmed when he found them. But that didn't make keeping him away from his father any more right than it already wasn't.

"With respect, Sir. Chuck is fine. He just needed some time away and we thought it best if he stayed with responsible adults," Yancy defended. He was about as pissed off as his brother was, but he refused to say anything that could get them grounded. He was just thankful his brother was keeping his own tongue.

"Oh, you two are many things. Talented, strong, dependable. But responsible is not one of those. You two galavant around acting like children and take hardworking students away from their studies to play dodgeball or online kaiju warfare games. Have you any idea what this looks like?"

"Sir-"

"No! You don't. You don't know how immature and criminal it makes the two of you look. If word got out that you had kept a boy away from his father and uncle, the press would have a field day turning the two of you to look like pedophiles and kidnappers."

"Well that didn't happen!" Raleigh roared, finally breaking face and giving the marshal a piece of his mind. "The kid is fine! He is safe, unharmed and for the first time in what we could tell was quite some time he was happy! So, with respect, Sir. Keep your judgements to yourself," he finished. Snapping at the large man before turning on his heel and stalking out of the room. For the first time all day, Chuck actually heard the tall pilot's feet make noise. As weird an observation as that was.

"Sir," Yancy began, keeping his gaze straight and away from contacting with anyone else's. "It's not in our profiles, but Raleigh knows a lot more about that sort of thing than he should."

"I know," Stacker sighed, wearily sitting down at the desk in his room. Herc and Persy took a seat on the side while Yancy accepted the vague invitation to take the remaining chair in front of the marshal's desk. Chuck decided to ignore his guardians and chased after the pilot. Pentecost held a hand up when the two stood to follow. They sat heavily and waited quietly.

"As you know, Sir, our parents died when Raleigh was only ten and I was thirteen in a car accident. Afterward, we were sent to live with our aunt and uncle. They- well they weren't very good to us and I practically raised Rals on my own."

"Yes, Mr. Beckett. When the two of you were on the candidate list for the Gipsy Danger, your backgrounds were looked into. That particular information never made it into the reports because of your brother's age at the time and because you were our best option. Such things would not have been looked well upon if it had been made public or even classified information." Yancy nodded, thanking the man quietly before slumping into his chair.

"I assure you, Marshal. Raleigh wouldn't do what you suggest. He just wanted to make the kid feel better. No offense to the two of you," he added mildly, waving a hand towards the other pilots. Neither commented.

"I am aware of your brother's past and I beg your pardon if I hurt him."

"I'll be sure to mention that you want to apologize to him," Yancy quipped, smirking at the older man's scowl. "Now, if you'll excuse me, my brother needs me. Even if he tries to ignore me."

With that said, he was gone.

* * *

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get the two of you in trouble and accused of..." Chuck couldn't finish as he slumped down next to Raleigh. It felt kind of ironic that he would find the guy in the same place he had been found earlier. The pilot just shook his head, swallowing hard.

"S'ok. It isn't true and we both know it." The teen only nodded in response. They remained sitting beside Gipsy's foot for a long time, thinking in their own quiet spaces.

"Do you remember her? Your mom?"

"Not really. I can remember her face. The perfume she used to wear. But I don't remember her words or her voice. It sorta feels like there is this big hole where she is supposed to be that is just missing. Like there isn't anything there that I can latch onto and keep close. Like all my anger towards my old man just ate it all up."

Raleigh huffed a small, bitter laugh.

"I know what you mean. I was eight when my mom got sick. My dad loved her so much he devoted himself to taking care of her. He quit his job and we stopped moving around. It was two years later when the chemo started working. She was just getting better when it happened. They were on their way home from a session when a drunk ran them over the side of a bridge. The car burned. They didn't make it. It was only two blocks away from our house and we had been outside waiting when it happened. Yancy told me to stay back but I went anyway.

"That's why I take photographs of everything and everyone I meet. I don't want the last thing I remember about them to be anything like the last thing I saw of my parents. I don't want to remember them like they..." Raleigh trailed off, swallowing hard as he pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes.

"Yancy and I went to stay with our aunt and uncle. Yancy took us away when he turned seventeen. Graduated early and got emancipated. Raised me all by himself. A year later, Trespasser landed in San Francisco."

Chuck wasn't sure what to say. He didn't know what to do. People didn't just share things like that with people they didn't know. But this guy- his brother too- they were so trusting of him. Like his being so young made him so much more worthy of his confidence. It made Chuck feel warm inside. Like he was given a deep secret that only he was allowed to know. Sort of like Raleigh had taken him in as a younger brother and was now spilling his guts to him as their initiation. It felt good. Amazing.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, offering his own embrace. The pilot sniffed back his rage and his tears, pulling the kid more solidly into his chest. He liked this feeling of being the older brother. It felt good. Felt right. Besides, what could it hurt if the kid had someone to look up to?

* * *

_A/N: Yeah, I know. Cannon says that his mom died from cancer and their dad left soon after. And that all that was after the war began. But, this is my fic and you gotta wonder where the burning car in their memories from the movie came from. It was never explained and I just felt like it fit into Raleigh's life very well. Yes I know I made their aunt and uncle abusive. And no it wasn't sexual. Raleigh is just like every normal, good guy and refuses to let anyone think that he could do that to a kid._


	6. Chapter 6

Chuck couldn't help but feel rather proud of himself. Not only had he managed to convince his father and uncle not to kick his arse for his stunt yesterday, but he had managed to get both Raleigh and Yancy off the hook as well. Also, they got to spend the whole day together the next day.

And, like any set of brothers, the three spent it running around, pulling pranks, playing games, acting immature and generally driving everyone in the Shatterdome up the wall crazy. Chuck spent so much time with them that his camera ran out of film around noon and the two younger pilots convinced his uncle and father to go back to Manila and look for a new one. They had accepted on the condition that they went along.

Chuck had to admit that these two were probably the best thing that had happened to him in a long time. The fact that they managed to make his old man laugh was an accomplishment all on its own. Even if it was because they got their arses kicked and dropped into a puddle the size of a lake. It was still something.

Close to the end of the day, when they had returned to the dome and the three of them were sitting around a table in the mess as they drank hot chocolate and whiskey and beer, Chuck found himself wishing that it would never end. That this wasn't just a one day thing that would more than likely never happen again. But reality was kicking in and they were leaving tomorrow. All of them. Separating to return to their homes on opposite sides of the world.

Chuck hated his life sometimes.

* * *

"Now don't forget to write. Got it? Make sure its a real letter, handwritten and everything," Yancy said, ruffling Chuck's hair once more.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. I'll send you guys pictures too if I have any."

"We'd like that, Kid. At least until you come visit us." Raleigh agreed, punching his shoulder lightly. It earned him a bright smile.

"Any time I can!"

"No kidding?"

"Can't wait."

"We'll show you all the coolest places-"

"And take you to the best restaurants-"

"Show you the sights-"

"Play kickball and-"

"Dodgeball."

"We'll pull pranks on everyone-"

"And run from the Marshal."

"Stop it!" Chuck cried out, clasping his hands over his ears and shaking his head. The two blonds only burst out laughing. Next to them, Herc and Persy Hansen watched the banter, the smiles, and wondered when their boy had gotten so old.

"Aw come on. You know we were just-"

"Messing with ya."

"Sure! And melting my brain in the process was just a perk!"

"Well, if you say so."

"Did it work?"

"Oh stuff it!" Chuck cried out, shoving the two laughing brothers away. They only continued to chuckle, the marshal looking on in tiered resignation. He still had to deal with them in their natural territory everyday.

"Hey, Kid. In all seriousness," Yancy started, his expression sobering as he took the teen in a hug.

"We're really gonna miss you," Raleigh finished, handing him something before hauling him into his own bear hug. Chuck accepted the embrace enthusiastically. Taking his time to let go. It was kind of strange, to be so connected with these two after only two days of hanging out and defending against raging guardians and marshals. It sucked that the Becketts were leaving first, but it would only be by a few hours.

"I'm gonna miss you guys too," he mumbled, allowing them to ruffle his hair again before they stepped onto the helicopter that would take them home. He waved, watching their own hands disappear into the distance. Herc rested a hand on his son's shoulder.

"What did they give you?"

Chuck looked down at the shirt in his hands. It was dark blue, a winged star on the front with swirling steel gray letters beneath it. Below the Gipsy Danger logo, big words were written in bright, swirling silver. Like the metal had been purified and wrought into the fabric of the garment. It's words were simple as they read:

_Go big or go extinct, your friends, Yancy and Raleigh Beckett._


	7. Chapter 7

_Year 2025, Year 12 of the Kaiju War  
Sydney Shatterdome_

Chuck was excited. So excited he was practically bouncing off the walls and out of his skin. His dad had agreed to take him to the Alaskan Shatterdome with him and Uncle Persy for the routine debriefing of the PPDC for the year. It was their turn to hold it this year, and as the ranking team in the Sydney Shatterdome they were going with the Marshal to help allocate for funds. Well, that and to come up with ways of closing the breach... again.

But that wasn't why Chuck was so excited. No, he was anticipating seeing the Alaskan Shatterdome and two of the best pilots in the North Pacific. Two blond pilots who single handedly defended all of the Alaskan and Canadian coastlines as well as went on five other missions to assist with kaiju extermination. Two pilots who had gone out of their way to make him feel like one of their best friends. And, in a way, he was. They were so weird and complicated that only he and a few rare others were able to understand them.

And then there was her. Mako.

She was two years younger than him, only a toddler when the war began and only eight when she had been adopted by Pentecost. But, now that he was fifteen and she thirteen, things were looking different. She was getting taller (really, she was!), and had begun changing in her looks. Some of it was intentional, like the blue in her hair. But, for the most part, she was completely oblivious to it all. Their academy profile pages were full of pictures of them with other pilots and jaegers. A competition as to who was around more and who had the better life. Neither of them were stupid enough to let it get to them, but it was an easy way to have a friend and find a way to escape their fucked up reality. Even if she was constantly scolding him for cursing.

It was because of that and the fact that she was in constant contact with the Beckett brothers that he was excited. He had to know if her hair was really like that, or if she just altered the pictures to mess with Stacker. And, if it really was like that, who convinced her to do it? Probably Raleigh.

Chuck smiled at the thought as he looked through the photos of him and the Beckett brothers a year previous. They had turned out great for being film and what not and he was dying to show the guys. They had laughed at his disposable camera, but took the pictures with him none the less. Hell, it was Yancy's idea to take as many as they had.

A picture of said pilot came out from beneath the last one. He was busy going over pilot mission reports, pencil sticking out of his mouth, a sandwich Raleigh had given him sitting next to his papers. Next was one of Raleigh. He was sitting on his bunk, playing with an old black and white film camera. (And they had made fun of him.) Chuck remembered Raleigh being so pissed that the techs had tossed their luggage so half-hazardous into the helicopter and cracked the lens on it. He made a point to explain that he wanted to take a picture of his new friend to add to his collection of people who he wanted to remember. Just in case of drift malfunction- or something like that.

The next picture was older, a bit bent from traveling. It was of Mako and him when they had last seen each other a few years ago. Two and a half years ago to be exact. She was tiny compared to himself. Her shoulders rested slightly beneath his underarm, her head just barely to his chin. It was one of the few times he had gotten her to actually smile for the camera. At least without tricking her. It had been her birthday and he had given her an Aboriginal boomerang.

The next picture was frayed and worn around the edges. It was the oldest photograph he had. He had taken it with him for a show and tell at school and kept forgetting it in his backpack. His mum had always laughed and said that maybe he still needed it for something important. He couldn't agree more.

"Chuck!" Hercules cried out as he burst through the door. He was panting and pale, like he had seen a ghost.

"What is it?" He demanded, forgetting the stack of photos in his hand. His father just shook his head and motioned for him to follow. He quickly ran out of the room, following his father.

* * *

The LOCCENT room was eerily quiet when he ran into it. He had known about the kaiju leaving the breach, but it hadn't gone anywhere near their location. Which is why he had chosen to pack instead of watch, like he always did. TV reports flashed along the many screens on the side wall. Others were images from cameras on a jaeger drop helicopter team. News crews and reporters all shared the same look, despite the differing languages. The words missing and presumed dead sounded throughout the speakers. It was obvious there was some kind of search going on in the ocean somewhere. But, for what, no one told him.

"We're coming to you live from the helicopter deck of the Alaskan Shatterdome where two pilots and their jaeger have gone missing after a kaiju attack," a woman in black said, hand to her ear and microphone next to her lips as she tried to speak over the wailing winds. A storm was raging in Alaska. Something was going on.

"We have received word that a formal announcement is being made by Marshal Pentecost over the status of two of his pilots," a man informed, similarly pressed against the wind. "We're not sure as of yet who they are or what is being done to find them. All we know for sure is that they were successful in the killing of the kaiju, code name Knifehead, before the sensors in the LOCCENT were disrupted and their signatures lost."

"Reports are coming in that the two pilots who engaged Knifehead have more than likely perished with the kaiju they themselves killed. Some say that the jaeger was severely damaged and the last ditch effort to keep the people of Anchorage, Alaska safe was self destruct," another man continued.

Voices continued to clamber over each other, raising and lowering and fighting and gnashing against one another in an unknown battle to be heard by all who watched the broadcasts. Images of people in the streets of the large city that had been saved were shown standing on their harbor edges, candles and floating lanterns signaling the way home to their rescuers. Men and women huddled together around street corners and in shops, waiting for the news to tell them what had happened. The atmosphere in the room was oppressive and shadowed with a dark cloud of dread. Somewhere, in the pit of his stomach, Chuck knew exactly what had happened. Knew exactly who had died. Too few pilots were as loved and revered by the people like they were.

He swallowed hard and sought out his father's strong grip with his hand, his eyes never leaving the screens.

"Thank you all for coming," Pentecost said. His voice was loud, sharp and dignified. His thank you was a command of silence and all complied. They waited with bated breath and trembling nerves. Chuck felt the grip on his hand tighten; he was pretty sure he had been the one to instigate the reaction.

"I am pleased to announce that the kaiju, Knifehead, is, in fact, dead. It was intercepted and killed seven miles off the coast of Anchorage, Alaska and the remains are being disposed of and the blood neutralized as we speak. However," he paused. His air had never been pleased-grateful perhaps- but a sudden solemnity fell over him. His figure sagged, the fatigue showing in the dark circles beneath his eyes, even on camera. "Despite a seemingly successful kill shot, the kaiju remained alive long enough to attack the defending jaeger and her pilots in a surprise attack. We are not sure what happened exactly, but we know for a fact that the kaiju was killed. But, I regret to announce that the jaeger, Gipsy Danger, was destroyed in the blast and her pilots, Yancy and Raleigh Beckett were killed in action."

The rest of the speech was lost to Chuck. A collective breath was released when the truth was finally told, but it only left the world dizzy from the shock.

A hard pain lanced in the teen's chest at the thought. It was the truth. Yancy and Raleigh were dead.

_Dead_.

Chuck didn't notice the tears slipping from his eyes until his father and uncle had their arms around him. He wasn't aware that they hadn't even left the command room and he was bawling like a kid in front of everyone. He didn't figure anyone would care: the Golden Boys had been made out to be invincible! He supposed his reaction was a little dramatic, but he had actually known the two of them. Personally. You can't just pretend like it doesn't hurt as much as it does. Chuck ignored those facts and proceeded to cling to his father, one hand grasping his uncle's arm. His other hand was still holding the pile of pictures he had been looking through earlier.

It was full of people who he cared about. And, so far, only three of them were still alive.

Everyone else was dead.

Just like his mother.

The pile scattered when it hit the floor. His other hand let go of them in favor of his father's shirt. On the very top sat a photograph of a woman and a man holding an infant. His mother and father looked out to the world, as happy as they could be on the day of his brith, not knowing just how fast the world was going to fall apart after the photo was taken.


	8. Chapter 8

_Year 2025, Year 12 of the Kaiju War  
Alaskan Shatterdome_

_Sorry we missed your birthday. Hope this makes up for it, Yancy and Raleigh._

The card had been sitting next to the wrapped box, propped up so it rested against the blue wrapped gift. Poorly wrapped gift. Together they sat on an empty metal desk, all memorabilia had been removed. All traces of the two pilots who had formerly occupied it were gone. Chuck swallowed. It fucking hurt to know that they had been waiting to give this to him when he got there. Before they...

He stopped himself from continuing that thought. It wasn't fair. This wasn't fair. He didn't dare open the gift. He didn't know why it had been left out. He had come in here to see if Raleigh was feeling better, but he found the stupid box instead.

Herc found him half an hour later: sitting on the bunk, gift in his hands and tears falling from his red rimmed eyes. He was sick of crying, but he couldn't seem to stop. Why hadn't Raleigh at least said goodbye? Face to face; like a man.

Stacker and Perseus lingered in the doorway as they watched.

"They were looking forward to giving that to you," Pentecost supplied, nodding his head towards the blue package when the teen looked up. Chuck only nodded numbly.

"Why don't you go ahead and open it?" Persy asked, shifting to lean against the doorway.

Chuck clenched his jaw, his hands, his whole being. Boiling rage and indignation swelled inside his chest and before he realized what he was doing, he ripped himself from his father's arms and threw the box into the opposite wall with a terrible roar.

"No!" He screamed. If they got it for him so they could watch him open it, then he wasn't going to! Raleigh had left it for him, but the bastard had left before he even had a chance to know it existed! The prick! The selfish, horrible, broken jerk! How could he? _How could he?_

Chuck didn't realize he had screamed all this until his father pulled him back onto the bed and into his chest. It was awkward, nothing like how it had been in Yancy's, Raleigh's or even mum's arms, but it still felt good. It felt right and he welcomed it. He was hurt and enraged and he never got the chance to hug his dad so he was gonna take it now.

Burying his head into the sturdy chest of his father, he released all his pent up emotion. For the first time since his mum died, he let himself cry. It felt good. It really did.

"Why did he leave?"

"I don't know, Son. I don't know," Herc whispered, running warm hands down the boy's head and back. He kept his arms wrapped firmly around the broadening shoulders, but couldn't think of anything to say. Dammit, there were so many things he could say to make him feel better, but nothing came to mind. Persy knew them, but dammit all! Chuck needed to hear those things, not his fucking brother.

"Do you think he will come back?" A tiny voice whispered from beyond the door. Mako was only thirteen, shy as could be, but she stood tall and she stood strong. She had loved Raleigh and Yancy too. They were the weird older brothers that stood up for her when it seemed as though the whole world was crashing down around them. But now that it actually was, they were both gone.

Pentecost said nothing, but offered her a one armed embrace.

No one had any answers. No one knew why he would leave. The doctors had mentioned that he had irregular brain scans: his actions may not be entirely conscious. There was a chance he would wake up and return. But no one knew for sure. Chuck hated it.

Chuck hated kaiju. He hated Raleigh.


	9. Chapter 9

_Year 2026, Year 13 of the Kaiju War  
Sydney Shatterdome_

"You want to get a dog? For Chuck? But he hasn't even graduated the academy yet!" Persy cried out one night. In the bunk above his, his son shifted restlessly in his sleep. He rolled over, grunted and began his soft snores shortly after. Herc sighed with relief and sagged with defeat. Yes, he had been considering getting his son a dog. He figured it was the best thing to do. Since there was always a chance that he and his brother would never come back from one of their fights, Chuck needed some kind of companionship that was unconditional. Like his. Even if the kid didn't see it that way.

"You know he's just gonna think that you're preparing him for your death, right?"

"Yes! That's why I've been so conflicted about it!" He was angry. _Don't you get it?!_

"Alright, alright." His brother conceded, raising his hands in a placating gesture before rearranged himself on the cot next to his own. It was untraditional, the three of them sharing a living space, but they had done it since Chuck had been small so they weren't going to change now.

Australia had turned gloomy since the new surge of bigger kaiju started. Category fours were popping out like flies and jaegers were dropping even faster. There were so few of them now. It was only a matter of time before they didn't come back. The idea didn't appeal to him, but he had to look out for his son. Make sure Chuck stayed healthy and safe. For as long as possible. Persy, although he wasn't a father in the traditional sense, was more than just an uncle to Chuck and knew better than anyone what Herc was feeling. And not just because they were drift partners.

"I think it's a good idea. But let him choose, woulda. It's his dog for Christ's sake!" Herc scowled at his brother, but shook it off as he rolled over to try and sleep.

Chuck smirked in his bunk. His uncle and old man were such idiots sometimes. But that didn't really matter right now because he was getting a dog. A dog. How cool was that?

Even though his father wasn't keen on his eavesdropping, Chuck was glad he had. Sometimes he thought the worst of his father. It was nice to know that his assumptions weren't always right. His dad was only doing this so he had a friend. Not just so that he had a companion in case the old man didn't come back.

Chuck shifted uncomfortably in his bed. Persy had already fallen asleep (his loud snores were impossible to fake), but his old man was still tossing and turning in the bunk beneath his. For most of his life- even if he hadn't always appreciated it- the presence of his father and uncle in the room with him as he slept had always put him at ease. No matter how many kaiju were coming out or how gaping the hole where his mum should have been was. The thought of not having him- either of them- there was frightening. And he hated it.

Cautiously, he crawled down the side of the bunks, careful not to step on his father. The glittering blue orbs of the man met him when he reached the floor, but he didn't speak. He was giving Chuck the chance to leave and pretend that he hadn't noticed.

That wasn't what Chuck wanted.

Gently, the fifteen year old sat on the edge of the small bed, searching for the man's hand.

"You ok?" Herc whispered, gently pulling the teen's head closer to check for fever. The boy only rested his head on the pillow next to him.

"Can't sleep," he muttered, settling himself into the small space next to his father. Herc frowned, concerned as he rearranged himself to accommodated the growing size of his son. It would be the first time he had slept in the same bed as his father after Siccure killed his mother; the first time he had even embraced his father since Raleigh's disappearance. Persy snorted loudly in the other cot, but Chuck decided not to let this be awkward. Shuffling closer to the larger man's frame and wrapping them around his chest. Herc followed suit, holding his son's head in the crook of his elbow as he brushed the fingers of that arm through thick, light brown hair and pulled him closer with the other.

"Dad?"

"Yeah, Son?"

"Promise you and Persy won't end up like..."

Herc swallowed. He knew who Chuck was talking about. Persy had sworn, but-

"I promise I will always try to come back, Chuck. And I wish I could promise that I won't end up like that, but life has a funny way of kicking the floor from beneath our feet. But, know this-" he ordered, pulling his chin back so he could look into his boy's eyes. "I never want to leave you. I want, so badly, for us to just leave and forget about those ugly bastards. I want for us to be a family. We may not have your mum, but we can still make do cause we're still alive. I won't end up like Raleigh because I still have you to take care of. And I have you to take care of me," he finished quietly, pressing his lips to his son's forehead soundly.

Chuck swallowed thickly, blinking back tears. He gripped his father harder; clenched the man's shirt in his fists. He hadn't felt this good in a long time.

"I love you," he whispered hoarsely.

"I love you too, Son. I know we don't say it often enough, but I do. Really. Now get some sleep," Herc grumbled, holding his son close.

"Sure, Old Man."

"Don't call me that," he snapped, though playfully. Chuck just chuckled and pressed his face into his father's chest as he let himself fall asleep.


	10. Chapter 10

_Year 2027, Year 14 of the Kaiju War  
Sydney Shatterdome_

Herc knew that the name wasn't random. Chuck had picked that name for a reason. It certainly wasn't because he had been close to his grandfather, Max. That man was creepy and Chuck had never liked him as a boy. No, he figured it had something to do with the Becketts.

The kid had stopped collecting and keeping memorabilia and toys from the war. Part of Herc was happy that he had grown up and moved on from that time in his life. The rest- a much bigger part- of him wished he had never stopped. Heartache wasn't fair, but it made you strong to remember it and learn from it.

Herc didn't know where Max had come from, but Chuck had chosen the name and that was that. The dog was his and he was gonna name it. Herc had made it a point to let the boy know that it was all his choice and all his responsibility. Not that he wasn't going to help, but the teen had to learn responsibility one way or another and this was the best choice. So Chuck got to pick the dog's name.

Of course Herc should have known it wasn't going to be easy. Chuck was like his mother and the dog had to be right. They had to have a connection or else he wasn't going to pick it. It had been damn near four months of going to different shelters and looking at all different dogs and other assortment of animals. Four months of crying, whining and heartbreaking mutts and cats and Roos and anything in between. If he had his choice, he would have picked the first man sized dog he found and been done with it.

But not Chuck. Of course he wanted a manly dog, but that wasn't on the top of his priorities. Chuck needed a friend. A companion for his foreseeable future. There was a chance it would be his only friend for a long time. Mako couldn't always be around to make him feel better.

And everyone else was dead.

The bulldog pup yapped at his feet, pawing at the hem of his pants. It was laughable, adorable. The big brown eyes of the mutt shined with a near human intelligence, but the scrunched up nose made it look like it had dropped a few brain cells along the way. That's part of what Chuck liked about it. The dog was like him. Unpredictable. Looked like one thing, but was really a whole other thing entirely. Made Chuck feel like he had a drift partner in a way. At least, jokingly.

He was almost sixteen now and had graduated the academy with flying colors. But he still wasn't old enough to pilot a jaeger without his old man's consent. And that was never gonna happen. However, Chuck wasn't entirely upset with that. Granted, he wanted to be out there kicking kaiju arse with his dad and uncle, but he had begun having nightmares. Terrors in his sleep that woke him with horrible screams and wracking bouts of panic. Each time he woke he couldn't help but wonder if it was him in his dream, or Raleigh.

Since getting Max, Chuck had calmed considerably, even if they had to rearrange the sleeping quarters so the pup would be able to get on his bed by himself when he got older. He still slept in the same room as his father and uncle, they just had less maneuvering space in their shared quarters. They didn't mind that much.

"Good boy, Max," he cooed, patting the dog's head in reward for its paw.

"You'll spoil him rotten if you keep coddling him like that," Persy grumbled, rolling over on his bunk. Chuck just stuck his tongue out at the man's back. Herc snorted at the immature gesture.

"I saw that!" The elder pilot retorted, reaching back to point in the teen's direction. Chuck was used to this. His uncle and father were so finely tuned they were practically the same person at times. He was ok with that.

"Leave him be, Persy. You and I both know that the only one who spoils that dog is you and your strange dislike of meatloaf," he chided, smiling widely at his son. The kid grinned back. "However, it's time we all get some sleep," he continued, tossing a blanket at his son and laying back on his bunk.

Chuck just sighed, grumbling as he tossed the blanket to drape over him. Rolling over so he faced his father, Max tucked under his chin, he watched the man get comfortable. He hadn't had the best of fights with the last kaiju; the two of them had come back ragged and worse for ware. Their stay in the infirmary had terrified Chuck more than he would ever have admitted. The burns on their backs were the scariest by far.

They were too familiar.

He shook himself and reached across the foot of space between his bunk and his father's, grabbing the man's hand.

"Night," he mumbled, pressing his face into the pillow.

"Good night, Son."


	11. Chapter 11

_Year 2027, Year 14 of the Kaiju War  
Sydney Shatterdome_

He couldn't believe it. He couldn't fucking believe it.

The Yellow Banshee was gone. _Fucking gone!_

It had been a routine drop; the kaiju had attacked a medium sized city on the coast of the continent. There was nothing special to the town, but kaiju weren't smart enough and didn't have enough intelligence on their world to know where heavily populated areas and protected resource were. They just landed wherever and it was luck of the draw that landed most of them near a town or big port city. Not to mention that they never went back to their world to make any sort of report.

But this kaiju was big. Absolutely huge. One of the largest category fours so far. So he supposed that it was no big surprise that a Mark II had been unable to stop it. The Banshee simply hadn't been made to withstand that kind of assault. It had only been rated to kill category threes and smaller. Any bigger and it was a fish out of water. Ill-equipped and out-gunned.

But it was gone!

Chuck had seen his father and uncle step into that jaeger more times than he could count. Watched them kill eight kaiju single handedly and nearly seven more with back up. They were the best in the Southern Pacific; they were one of the last twenty jaegers in the region. The reason why they had been sent to stop that kaiju in the first place. There simply weren't anymore close enough.

Of course, his father and uncle had managed to rescue the city and destroy the fucking bastard, but at the cost of the Banshee. And that didn't even cover the physical trauma that had been inflicted on them in the conn-pod. They had both been so badly hurt that they couldn't even call out for help from their escape pods after ejection and the self-destruct of their jaeger.

So badly hurt that all the doctors told him that even if they woke up, Persy would never be able to pilot a jaeger. That's if he ever managed to walk again. Chuck didn't know if he was happier that they were alive or that it hadn't been his old man that had been paralyzed. It was wrong and he felt sick with himself, but he couldn't help it. It was his dad for Christ's sake! And while Persy was more of a father to him at times, he was still grateful his dad hadn't been the one to have his spine snapped.

Currently he sat in the infirmary, sitting between both of their beds and watching each with one eye. The Banshee had gone up in flames almost two weeks ago and neither had woken up yet. He found that he couldn't stop replaying the thoughts he had in his head when he had watched the Banshee blow in LOCCENT. The emotions that roiled beneath his surface and the utter rage he felt when he heard the last few words spoken to him through those comms before they had ejected. Persy's spine had already broken and the pain was incredible.

_"I have to do something! There's no time for backup!"_

Chuck swallowed back the bile. It had been the first thing he had done when he had figured out what they were gonna do. He was sure the techs were glad he had found a waste bin. But, he couldn't mean that. Surely not that!

_"My boy! Tell my boy that I'm coming home!"_

Chuck hadn't known what to do, what to say. He had been in LOCCENT every time his old man and uncle had stepped into the conn-pod since Scissure. He'd known he was in there. Like he always was. Why hadn't he asked to speak with him? Why did he go and blow that jaeger up without at least saying something to him? It wasn't fair; he felt betrayed.

But Chuck couldn't leave them like this. He had to stay here until they woke up. The only breaks he took were to feed and relieve Max and himself. He slept in the bed on the opposite wall, sometimes even in the same one as his father. At first he wasn't allowed since they didn't know the extent of his injuries, but since Herc had been cleared of any internal damage and spinal injury, they had moved his body over on the bed so Chuck could squeeze himself and his pup onto it next to him.

Not that he would ever tell anyone, but he was terrified that neither of them would ever wake up again.


	12. Chapter 12

_Year 2027, Year 14 of the Kaiju War  
Sydney Shatterdome_

"As you very well know, the Yellow Banshee was this part of the world's top assets and first defense. You and your brother did an incredible job protecting against the kaiju and we couldn't ask for better. However, without the Banshee and her pilots, we are at a loss for what to do," the UN representative explained, his hazy image flickering marginally on the holo projectors. Despite having little to no experience or rank, Chuck was able to stand in on the meeting. Along with him was his father, uncle (the tall man sitting glumly in the wheel chair that he had been caged to), the Marshal and three other pilot teams. Listening to all this bull shit about what had happened to the Banshee and her pilots was tiering and had begun eating away at their nerves shortly after it began. And that had only been about ten minutes ago.

"We understand that, Sir," Herc acknowledged from his seat. He hadn't been as severely injured as his brother, but he was still unable to walk without a cane or assistance. The doctors said that would get better within a few weeks, but that he should still take it easy for the next two to four months.

_Yeah right,_ Chuck remembered thinking.

"With the Kaiju coming out faster than before and jaegers falling just as quickly, there is call for new ideas as to how to keep the kaiju out and our people safe. We have considered undertaking the most viable option, the Wall of Life Program, offers. However, we still need jaegers to keep the breach under watch until it can be completed, " the American representative explained, his severe face looking sharply out of place among the older men surrounding him. Though, not as much as the three other Marshals on the screens. Pentecost included.

"So what is it you are suggesting?" Persy snapped, irritated with the banter and the pitiful attempt of trying not to look desperate.

"Persy," Herc whispered to his brother, casting as sharp glare at the elder. He just huffed in response, making Chuck stifle a smile behind his hand by running it though his hair in an attempt to look exasperated.

"We have proposed the advance in the building of five new jaegers. The first of the Mark Vs. With any luck, the first one should be completed within the next six months. Of course, the jaegers that are currently at the Sydney Dome should be enough to protect the area in the meantime," the Australian representative announced. "The first of these new machines will be transported to your dome to help fill the gap in protection of the area. We would like you to find and train its pilots," he finished. Chuck thought his expression look too close to beaming for comfort and worked to keep his sneer under control. A small flick of Stacker's eyes and the twitch to his lips revealed that he wasn't doing a good job.

Chuck was never so happy to be out of a meeting in his life. He knew his uncle appreciated the haste he sped them down the hallway with. Max barked begrudgingly behind them as he stuck close to Herc.

* * *

"We haven't even seen the specs for the Mark Vs and they expect the two of you to find a couple of pilots who just might have what it takes to operate a backhoe and train them how to fight in a jaeger. And in six months?! Are they fucking stupid?"

"Fancy ties and flashy smiles. That's all they are, Chuck," Herc sighed. He was sitting at the desk in their quarters where he rubbed his face in his hands. The dark circles under his eyes sagged with his tiered lids and shoulders as he tried not to fall asleep. "They don't know what it takes to be a pilot. To fight kaiju and win every time."

"They're suits. All they know how to do is push paper and drink champagne," Persy grumbled from where he lie on his bed with his arm covering his eyes. Neither of them had slept well since they had woken from their comas. Persy the least. His back ached and his legs went numb if he didn't move them after an hour. The doctors said it was a good sign for his recovery and ability to walk again. That didn't stop him from complaining. Of course, just like the rest of their little family, he was too stubborn to tell the doctors about his pain or take the medication they gave him. Chuck had to admit that he admired his uncle for that. Of course, the echoes of pain filtered through the shared link the two still had from drifting with each other. And that kept Herc awake. He supposed it didn't help much that Max had decided his legs were the comfiest to sleep on when Chuck's chest wasn't available.

"What do they expect you to do? Pull a couple of them from your arse? Nobody is entering the academy anymore, and those that graduated are all dead or ran away. Or their like me and too young to drift with anyone."

"We know that!" both pilots roared at him. He flinched, but refused to back down. Whatever energy it took for them to shout at him like that was short lived and they both sagged further into their respective perches. Chuck did the same, sitting on the edge of his bunk and resting his hand on the prone form of his bulldog. He didn't mean to wear them out, he was just furious that they were the ones who were tasked with this.

"It's not fair," he mumbled. Running his hand down Max's back calmed him, gave him courage, so he continued. "You should be resting, recovering, and they want you to do this. It's like a slap in the face. Like they enjoy shoving what you had to do in your faces. Like loosing Banshee was easy. It's not fair. You two almost died! I almost lost..." He trailed off, gruffly brushing the tears from his cheeks with the heel of his hand. He hadn't cried in years. Not even when they had almost died, when they almost didn't wake up, when they did wake up. He had been too shocked for that. Perhaps now it was all starting wear off. Like a weight was being pushed down on him and all he could think of to do was cry until it went away and he felt better.

He had been so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear his old man get up from the desk and hobble over to him. He sniffed, forcing the tears back. But, one look into his fathers eyes and the damn burst. The mans blue eyes were glittering with his own tears and a few of them had escaped to his scraggly chin where a red beard was forming. Taking a seat next to his son, Herc held him tight. Persy grunted at the display, frustration evident on his own grief stricken face.

Chuck didn't feel like arguing anymore that night. He want them to sleep. He needed them to get better. He needed to be close to them.

Prying himself gently from his father's arms and pulling their respective boots off, Chuck moved to the other side of the three bunks and pushed them all together into a single unit. When his task was complete, the three of them wrapped their arms around each other, letting their grief flow and their body's to quake with sobs. It had been a long time since they had sobbed like that, but sometimes there was nothing they could do and when life kicked the floor from beneath your feet, all there was left was to cry and rage and hope that tomorrow would be better.

* * *

"I've decided," Herc announced suddenly. The three of them sat at a table in the mess, enjoying a quiet brunch by themselves. Across from him, Chuck looked up from his plate, eggs and fork sticking out of his mouth. Persy sat in his chair at the end of the table, similarly struck silent. But with bacon.

"What?" Chuck asked around a mouthful of egg. Herc scowled at his son. The teen swallowed hastily and shifted on the bench under the disapproving glare. Persy coughed after a second, rescuing his nephew.

"Who will pilot the new jaeger."

"Who?"

"Us."

Chuck watched the silent battle between his father and uncle. A contest of stares that he was loath to disrupt. If he even had half a mind to do so. His father couldn't be serious. He just couldn't be. Persy would be lucky if he ever managed to walk again; he would never be able to pilot a jaeger! And Herc was in no condition to be fighting kaiju after what had happened to Banshee. Granted, in the next six months he could heal and be able to pilot the new jaeger, but that still left the question of who his co-pilot would be. He wouldn't let just anybody drift with him. And anybody he trusted enough for that was already dead or unable to fight, like Persy.

"He is not old enough to pilot, Herc," Persy exclaimed, slamming his hand on the table. Silverware jumped with Chuck and a realization dawned over the teen when both brother's eyes flicked over him.

_Him?_

"Don't give me that shit. You know as well as I do that he is. And he is already trained. He graduated the academy at the top of his class and he has spent his whole life wishing he could be a pilot. Preparing for that day. So cut the crap."

"They won't let you! They'll take him away: claim child abuse or brainwashing!" Persy snarled.

"I don't give a damn what they think. He's my son and if he wants to pilot a fucking jaeger, than by God he will. It's his choice, Persy. He doesn't have to say yes," Herc roared back. Chuck remained where he was, blinking as he watched the argument turn particularly vicious. The fact that it was over him piloting a jaeger still hadn't sunken in all the way.

"And what if he gets killed?"

"Then I'll die with him."

"And what about me?!"

Herc said nothing as he considered this new avenue of thought. He hadn't considered what it would do to his brother if he had to sit on the sidelines and do nothing while his younger brother and nephew were out fighting kaiju. It would kill him to be unable to help. To be stuck in LOCCENT with nothing to do except sit with his thumb up his arse. And if they died? Herc could already feel the indignation and hurt as it radiated off his older brother.

"You're right," he muttered in defeat.

"I'll do it."

Both brothers turned to face the teen as he sat quietly on the bench, his panting dog half in his lap, half in his plate.

"No," Herc began, Persy shaking his head in agreement.

"Yes! There are fucking kaiju out there, Dad! I can fight; I can help. People will die if I don't. I don't want that, Dad, Persy. I don't want anyone else to end up like us," he finished quietly, resolutely. He wouldn't back down from this. It was the reason he had joined the academy. The reason why he had worked so hard to be the best fighter and the sharpest strategist. He would never give this up. Even if his father chose someone else to drift with him. (That thought terrified him more than anything)

"Chuck," Persy started, latching on to one of his arms. Herc had his other, a calm, worried expression etched into the wrinkling skin and graying red hair.

"I want to do this. Those bastards killed mum. They almost killed you. I don't- I can't let that happen. And not fighting in that jaeger will be just as hard for me as it will be for the two of you."

Both men sighed in resignation. Casting weary glances towards each other before critically staring the teen up and down. They both knew that the stubborn nature of their family would make changing his mind like hell, and neither were foolish enough to assume it was even possible.

"Alright," Herc murmured, letting go of the boy's arm in favor of pushing Max off the table. "You're now my lead candidate for the new jaeger. Of course, I'll have to at least pretend like I'm considering all my options," he muttered conspiratorially to them both. A bright gleam of anticipation and amusement lighting his blue eyes.

"Yeah, yeah," Persy muttered, but he smiled as well. "So, what are we gonna call it?" He continued after a moment of watching a beaming teenager try and salvage his breakfast. The kid just shrugged, looking into his plate for an answer.

"Striker," Herc answered, stabbing a chunk of potato with his fork.

"Eureka," Persy suggested. Chuck smirked.

"And a bulldog to match," he joked, patting a happy Max on the head. The three laughed.

* * *

_A/N: So, originally this was just supposed to be a simple little story about Chuck being a fan boy over Raleigh and Yancy, but it spiraled WAY out of control. And, of course, I'm adding a whole bunch of stuff in here that isn't cannon and probably very oc. Also, I know it seems like there is a lot of mushy gushy going on with the three Hansens, but if you think about it, each piece is only one day or so of the year. They still fight for the rest of it._


	13. Chapter 13

_Year 2027, Year 14 of the Kaiju War  
Sydney Shatterdome_

The drift was silence. It was peace and it was unity. That's what they said in the academy. What they had been explaining the whole time they had ever been teaching him. And others.

The drift was not silent.

It was not quiet. It was not peaceful. It was not dark.

It was loud and bright and full of emotion. There were so many raw feelings and energies and foreign senses it was hard to decipher. But he knew he was in the drift. He was aware of his surroundings; he knew what he was doing. His old man was there with him- _don't call me that! _He wasn't himself; he was spiraling away from the unity. _Stay with me!_ There was something calling to him. He assumed it was a memory. He shoved it away. He had to stay focused. _Good boy._

"This is weird," he muttered. He was alone in his head, but he was inside the other's head and they were inside Striker's head. Metal and sensors and alarms and flesh and memories and, oh shit, it was hard to figure this out. _Stay with me, Kid._

A memory fell into his line of sight, there was something familiar about it. It looked far away, like it was fading. Wait, don't go! _Stay with me, Chuck! Don't follow the memory!_

Push it away, focus!

He shook himself- physically and mentally. He needed to keep a clear head. This was a simulation. A trial run to make sure they were drift compatible. If not, then he would need to find a new partner. _We'll be fine._

He hoped. Hoped so much that they would be. He didn't want to drift with anyone else. His father kept him out of the dark. Even when they were fighting and not talking and arguing over nothing, he was always there. In the light. He was terrified that someone else would come in and find the dark inside. Absolutely afraid.

Clear the thoughts. Get back in the game. Don't chase the RABIT.

A kaiju ran at them- _ugly bastard._ There was a razor edge on the sides of its elongated head and it looked familiar. He didn't care; that wasn't important. The beast was working its way through the choppy water at him. A storm was raging all around and they were right in the damn middle of it. A sensor flashed, a monitor beeped. Of was it the other way around. Quit the semantics.

Weak points, have to find the weak points. _Look for the soft spot!_

"I don't see one!"

"Don't use your eyes," _Use your brain. The sensors are there for a reason._

Signals and alarms and memories and everything crowded inside his mind. There had to be a way around this. He had to find a calm. Had to focus. This has to be easier!

_You'll find it, Kid._ Calm meadows, a waterfall and warm summer breeze. Where is that? He doesn't know this place, does he? _She loved it_- who?

The kaiju roared, screamed as it ran towards him. Big teeth, razor head, blue eyes. He knows those eyes. A blond head and soft smile. He knows those eyes. They are gone now.

_She loved the cherry orchards of her hometown. Think about that._

Orchards. Yeah, he could do that. No one else knew what was inside his head, who cared what he used to keep himself focused. _Good boy._

It was almost on them now, there was no more time to get his head straight.

Another wail and they were racing to meet it.

* * *

"Congratulations. You just defeated Knifehead in under two minutes," Persy's voice said over the comms. Chuck felt sick.

* * *

"Here, Boy. A shot for your first official kaiju kill," Persy said, setting a small glass of brown liquor in front of the teen. Chuck didn't know if he wanted it. Perseus had been sitting on the sidelines and even from miles away, Herc could feel his brother's indignation. It had trickled through the drift, despite how hard he tried to protect his son. So Chuck knew how hurt he was to be left out.

That wasn't what was on his mind though. Today, he had become a killer.

Chuck's mother had always taught him to be good and kind to others. Even if he hadn't been the nicest of people his whole life, he had never hurt anyone more than a few punches or an insult. Even animals deserved to be treated with respect. Sure, he knew that kaiju were bad and needed to be destroyed, but that didn't make him feel any better about himself. Kaiju weren't sentient (at least they didn't think so) but they were still alive. Still felt pain.

"Drink the alcohol, Chuck," Herc muttered, his own guilt echoing through their ghosted link. It was strange to be so well connected to his father. He had gotten used to it after several simulations, found his calming center and could take out a fake kaiju with a few good punches. But this was different. It had been real and dangerous and confusing as hell.

He picked up the shot and downed it in a single go. Damn that hurt!

His father and uncle chuckled quietly, Herc patting his back and Persy filling the glass again.

"Don't worry, Kid. You either get used to it, or you don't drink it anymore."

"Great," he muttered, brushing painful tears away from his eyes. His nose felt like it was burning from smoke the alcohol had left in his throat. A strange tingle entered his limbs, warm and strangely calming. A fog surrounded his brain and he realized that this was probably the worst idea he had ever had. And that maybe it wasn't just his buzz he was feeling.

Since the first time they had drifted, Chuck had been inexorably linked to both his father and his uncle. He was suddenly a part of those silent conversations and had a say in what they were talking about. It was exciting and irritating at the same time. Based more on emotions and vague ideas rather than actual words.

So he would be very surprised if most of the guilt he was feeling didn't come from his father and his uncle.

He took the second shot.

* * *

_Year 2030, Year 17 of the Kaiju War  
Sydney, Australia_

"That's Striker's tenth kill to date!" He announced, staring straight into the camera. _Be out there, _he thought. _Watch this and know I'm better than you._

"That's a new record." He winked at the reporter. It was overkill, but he wasn't sure if it was him caring or his old man- _don't call me that!_

"Are you really going to Hong Kong? At a time like this."

"Well what am I supposed to do? Orders are orders." He was angry. God, was he angry. These stupid bastards at the UN had no idea what they were doing. Just picking at straws. Grasping out in desperation to a ledge that had no grips. They should funnel their resources into the Jaeger Program instead of that fucking wall, but they won't. They still think that they can save humanity by letting the kaiju fill up the pacific and raise themselves a sort of army. Or just nuke the fucking things every time they popped out. Of course that wasn't a viable option. They didn't have enough plutonium or uranium for that. Not enough resources to make more nukes. Not to mention the radiation and the toxicity of the kaiju blood. _Stupid bastards._

Things were different now. Perseus being able to walk being chief among them. But that wasn't all. Chuck was a grown man of twenty one and a month. It wasn't a great achievement in his eyes, but other people seemed the think that it was since he had started out piloting so young. And what a scandal that had been.

His favorite thing about it all was the people that he saved, the ones that wrote to him and asked him if the war was ever going to end. It felt good to be so depended on. To be a hero. Someone to look up to and make the world safer.

It felt good to be like Raleigh and Yancy.


	14. Chapter 14

_A/N: Ok, so the story is almost overl just two more chapters and we are done. Sadness. Well, have a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!_

* * *

_Year 2030, Year 17 of the Kaiju War  
Hong Kong Shatterdome_

Raleigh stepped off the helicopter in the freezing rain. A woman stood there waiting for him and the marshal. He imagined that she looked familiar, but the holes in his memories were too big and too embarrassing to be sure. She greeted Stacker calmly, eyeing him from head to toe. Her eyes were such dark brown and so sharp he felt like a bug under a microscope, like his secrets were revealed through an X-ray. He didn't like it but he stood tall and proud. Too many years had gone by for him to stand idly and pretend like he didn't have a backbone. He was better than the broken man everyone expected him to be.

Ironically, she said as much. He found it amusing how she started when he asked her if he was better or worse in her own language. Japanese had been a useful tool when training in Okinawa.

"Miss Mori! I do believe you remember Mr. Beckett, don't you?" Pentecost asked. Raleigh froze, so they did know each other. She smiled shyly and nodded before bowing to him. He responded in kind. For some reason he couldn't help but wonder about why she looked so expectant only to turn her eyes down in disappointment. He hated it. He was missing something and he didn't know what. Damn those holes!

"Come. A tour of the facility and then Miss Mori will show you to your room," Stacker said, resting his hand on the woman's shoulders and leading her back towards the door she came out of.

"Yeah, sure," Raleigh agreed, ruffling his coat and rolling his shoulders against the rain and the awkward encounter he just had.

* * *

Stacker knew that something had happened to Raleigh when Yancy had been taken for him, but for him to be unable to recognize Mako? Something very strange had happened to the pilot. The two had practically been siblings, both running around screaming and laughing. Getting on the nerves of both himself and Yancy. Each of them often proclaimed him as the father and Yancy the mother to their odd parenting regime. Stacker hadn't realized just how the that could be at times until it was only him around to take care of the little girl. More often than not it was the other way around.

It upset him, hurt him, more than he would have liked to see Raleigh different. It was nice that he was calm and more level headed, but he was still so broken. And to see how how little affection was left for Mako, he wanted to rip the boy's head off instead of let him stay here in the dome.

The elevator ride down was uncomfortable to say the least. It was obvious that the former pilot was disgruntled from their encounter. The meeting of doctors Newton Geiszler and Hermann Gottlieb didn't help much.

"That's your research division?" He asked, incredulous.

"Indeed. We're not an army anymore, Mr. Beckett. We're the resistance." He found it rather convenient how the doors opened to the bay in time for his statement to seem more dramatic. A simple matter that was pushed aside for more important things. Stacker wanted to see something. If Beckett didn't remember one of his closest friends, how would he react when he met his old life again?

* * *

This place was weird. It was busy, but empty almost. They had only just arrived. Striker was standing tall in its bay and his old man had just gotten his drivesuit off. They had walked the jaeger along the shores and under the water all the way to the dome. It was a long walk and they had only paused for a few hours to eat and nap. It was a weird way of doing it, but they didn't have a enough helicopters for a real transport and a carrier wasn't big enough.

Max had gone with Persy in one of the two remaining helicopters that they had. He stood just a few feet away from his feet, panting happily. His lead was tucked against the side of the table that held his old man's suit. It was dark and bright inside the bay, black lacquered cement floors and bright orange and white lights. The place was contradicting as hell. And he didn't like it.

Persy paused in his work of unbolting the drivesuit when Max barked. A call for the dog sounded. A light, tinkling voice that he hadn't heard in a long time echoed off the walls and the jaeger beside him. He knew that voice. Relished in the familiar quality to it. Persy snorted, but he just shook it off. Herc smirked at him before sharing a look with his brother and the two made off with him still in his suit. If he had been a lesser man, he would have cried out in indignation for being left inside the stupid, uncomfortable thing. But he didn't. Instead he watched.

"You remember me?" Mako asked, kneeling down to pet the slobbering mutt.

"Don't drool on Miss Mori! She's a pretty girl and he gets all wound up," Herc explained, releasing the lead so he could greet his friend. Persy acknowledged the newcomers as well, patting the big man on the back and offering a gentle smile to the girl when she stood up.

"Mr. Beckett, I'd like you to meet Perseus and Hercules Hansen. Both were pilots of the Yellow Banshee. Herc now pilots Striker with his son, Chuck. They just arrived from Sydney this morning," Stacker explained. Herc hesitated for only a second before offering his hand to the younger man.

"Pleasure to see you again, Sir. My brother and I helped you and another jaeger in Manila a few years back," the kid explained, taking Persy's hand afterward.

"Yeah. We remember," Persy muttered tersely. Herc said nothing, but offered his brother an elbow to the ribs. There was definitely something different about this Beckett. Something off.

"Well, now that you've seen the place, Miss Mori will show you to your quarters," Stacker continued, dismissing the two younger officers and walking off with the Hansen brothers.

Chuck, who had remained in the background watched in silent fury. There he was! Right there! And he didn't say a word. Not even a single look of acknowledgement or recognition. Nothing. There was nothing.

That wasn't Raleigh Beckett. And he wanted nothing to do with the guy.

"Max! Come here," he demanded, taking the dog by the collar when he came near.

He wasn't entirely upset with himself when he couldn't keep the scowl off his face.

* * *

Lunch didn't go well. Raleigh had been standing around, looking for a place to sit, but finding none. It surprised him that Perseus had nabbed him from the alleyway between tables and offered him a seat. Herc seemed to genuinely care about him, but the older brother just seemed more curious than he should be.

"Raleigh, this is my son, Chuck," Herc explained, waving in the general direction of the guy. He was big. Tall and muscular. A thick kind that was intimidating to his more lean build. His dark blond hair and hazel eyes were sharp and piercing. Familiar.

"He's my co-pilot in Striker."

"He's more my co-pilot, right, Dad?" the guy replied, smirking smugly at him. It was familiar and it was irritating. Raleigh scowled in response, but said nothing as Persy and Herc glared at the guy. Kicking feet and clambering metal sounded in a memory somewhere. It was fuzzy and Raleigh knew it had been sucked into one of the holes, but not fully.

"Listen _Rah-Lee_, your Pentecost's last hope and my old man seems to like you. But if you get in my way or slow me down, I'll drop you like a sack of kaiju shit," he smirked, putting his hat on. Raleigh hated that hat.

* * *

_A/N: I just had to keep Persy around, you know? He was getting to be a really great part of the whole story and I seriously doubt he would let his brother and nephew go very far without him. I mean, they are a family! All they have left is one another and as rangers of any corp, they wouldn't leave him behind. That and he gets under Herc's skin and its way too funny not to have in here. ;)_


	15. Chapter 15

_A/N: ok, so I wasn't going to post this just yet, but since this is the second to last chapter, I may as well finish this story up before the last of the year. So this is earlier than I thought. the next post will be either Monday or Tuesday. So for all of you who can't wait to read how it ends: there you go. Hope you like!_

"You can't even pilot a jaeger without traumatizing your drift partner into a near comatose state. You're just a washed-up has-been who will only get in our way. You see _Rah-Lee_, unlike you, the rest of us want to come back from this mission. We like our lives and we're not about to let you fuck this mission up. There is a whole fucking world out there to save. You should just go back to whatever hole Marshal dragged you out of and leave the fighting to real pilots," Chuck sneered. He was furious; downright angry at this piece of shit that dared wear the skin of Raleigh Beckett. How dare he look like the man he had once idled and made friends with! This man was nothing like he used to be. He was broken and tiered and weak and-

"Don't make accusations to something you know nothing about," the man snarled from above him. Chuck gripped the bridge of his nose, blinking away black and red and blue sparks of pain as he contemplated taking back what he had said about the man being weak. He still had a damned good right hook and was strong enough to pack a wallop. One that he didn't see coming. A snickering from his right signaled that the Wei Tang brothers found his sudden position on the floor quite amusing. A flicker of panic and exasperation flitted before his mind, echoing through the link with his father and uncle, but he squashed them and shoved them back with a furious roar as he bolted for the blond in front of him.

Raleigh was surprised- to say the least- that Chuck had confronted him about the failed drift earlier that day. But to have him insult him the way he had and then charge him from the floor like some fucking animal? That wasn't something he had anticipated.  
The man kicked at his legs and he was only just able to keep out of reach. It was a simple sidestep that he had learned in his years of bar fights and wrestling with Yancy which had taught him to get out of the way quickly. But Chuck was on his feet after that and he was more than willing to return the favor of getting hit in the face. Except, Chuck would be happier if he broke the bastards nose. He swung wide, hard and into the air where the blond's head had been. It only enraged him further. A sharp jab to his side irritated him further and the block to his punch had him stepping back to take better stock of the situation

Here they were, circling each other like a couple of wolves, searching for weakness while sizing the other up. Chuck was surprised that the man was a good a street fighter as he was. It was his forte as a pilot with his brother, but to think that it would amount to so much against a human was rather intimidating. It was one thing to see the man improvise and strike back giant monsters with his out of huge box thinking, but to see him hold his ground with a skill and strength and discipline that even he couldn't achieve was something else. Even more so to be on the receiving end of such powerful strikes.  
Chuck could feel the blood run down his lips, see the bruise swelling in his mind from the blow to the ribs. He couldn't believe just how much control this man had. He was such a skilled fighter in real life, had been with his brother in a jaeger, so why couldn't he be like that now? When they needed him most he was abandoning them. Leaving them out as kaiju fodder and watching from the sidelines as he defended against an ever overwhelming army. Why was it that when he was needed most, Raleigh always left?

"What makes you think that I don't know what I'm talking about?" He snarled, vicious in his attempt to hurt the former pilot. A flicker passed over the blue eyes before they turned to ice, shielding himself from the younger man's words. Chuck tried not to acknowledge the hurt in the action. The loss of trust and loyalty. How had they fallen so far for each other's grace?

"I know a lot more about you than you think. You practically let your brother die in Alaska!" He spat, refusing to let the guilt of his words wash over him. A dark shadow passed over the blonds face, a dangerous smirk played out over his lips.

"Did I?" he whispered harshly. Despite the quiet tone, no one had missed his words. The flash of movement barely registered in the brunette's mind before a painful blow landed in his gut. Chuck coughed and choked, gasping to refill his lungs. He was quicker with his retaliation than most would have been, the upper cut to the jaw grazed the man's cheek but landed solidly against the side of his nose. A sympathetic hiss reverberated against their skulls as a fleeting moment of recognition hit them that they had an audience. Raleigh's wicked grin didn't give Chuck pause, but he was shortly made aware of the error in his move when the blond's fist smashed against the bottom of his jaw, almost severing his tongue from his mouth. Chuck reeled back, landing hard on his ass as he held a hand over his pounding mouth.

"You're a pathetic liar! What makes you think I wouldn't figure out just how much you care? Why else would you confront me over something like a drift failure and the status of _my_ partner? Why would you care about the failed simulation unless you really cared about how we did? You try to act all tough and indifferent, but you're just a big sap," the blond spat. He stood over the younger man, flexing his arms as he held himself back. Blood spilled from the split in his lip and his nose was askew. But his eyes held a fire in them that frightened Chuck. "You try and make it look like you don't give a damn about what is going on, but you can't hide it from me. I know all about men like you, boys who grew up without real parental support. Guys like me, who barely had anything good in their life so they build walls and hide behind the facade of not caring. Grow up!"

Chuck glared up at the man who, just this morning, had been a silent figure in all that surrounded him. The man who had come out of the drift simulation apologizing like a big blubbering baby over the fact that his newest attempt at a co-pilot had given up during their simulation and left Raleigh to be the one blamed for the failure. The man who quietly clung to Mako as he whispered all the sweet things he had once known about her as her surrogate brother. Who had only just recently seemed to recall her. The fucking bastard didn't even know who she was until late last night when she had confronted him. Still didn't know who he was.

It wasn't fair.

Why couldn't he remember? Raleigh had seemingly regained all his memories of Mako because of a simple photograph. Why wasn't he as important? Was he really so forgettable and so unworthy of his friendship? He hadn't done anything to deserve any of this- had he? He couldn't say. All he knew was that Raleigh knew who Mako was and didn't give the time of day to Chuck that he once had so many years ago. And it pissed him off.

In his hurt and his anger, his betrayal and his lust for vengeance, Chuck roared at the blond and struck at him. The blow must have been a surprise because Raleigh made no attempt to block the bloody fist as it buried itself into his stomach.

Pain erupted in Chuck's hand, lancing through his arm and fading into a dull throb once it reached his elbow. Currents of electricity followed every line of tension in his body, knotting the muscles in his back and igniting the panic in his chest. Raleigh, similarly taken aback, retreated to the opposite side of the circle. The crowd around them watched the two males recoil from the other. Haunted expressions passed over each of their faces and a murmur passed over the spectators.

Raleigh held his stomach, winded from the unexpected pain. It stabbed sharply at his lungs as he tried to breathe in. His chest and spine swelled with pain, locking into place and stopping any movement he would have thought to initiate. A fire burned deep in his torso, burning its way around his inner organs and into his brain. Panic gripped him, a tingling ache that grew stronger as he fought to breathe. It wasn't the first time he had been caught off guard like that. Wouldn't be the last, he supposed. But the betrayal he had witnessed in the younger pilot didn't make sense to him. The betrayal he felt himself only added to his confusion. The air around him was hot, stuffy and he knew that even if he could breathe it in, he would feel like a fish out of water. No oxygen seemed to be reaching his lungs and claustrophobia gnawed at the recesses of his brain. Yancy screamed at him in anger- _how dare you!_

He didn't know what it meant. He didn't understand why he was so angry with himself. Clanging metal and screaming feet and crying smiles jumbled into one and he knew that there was a secret hidden deep within his mind. A piece of himself locked away by the loss of his brother. He needed to get away. He had spent all that time figuring himself out only to come to this place and realize that there was still so much more to him that he needed to find and understand. He needed to get away.

Now.

Chuck was of the same mentality. His father and uncle were screaming as they silently grabbed a hold of his arms. They knew the anger and felt the resentment. They were hurt by the younger pilot too- _how could he do this to our boy? _But this was not the way to deal with that anger or make the kid see what he had lost when he had left five years ago.

Pentecost had a similar hold on Raleigh. His big, black hands held the younger man's shoulders and held him firmly in a standing position. _Mako is such a tattletale..._ Said girl was clutching to his arm with the same kind of death grip that Chuck had once had the privilege of using.

The crowed watched in tense anticipation for the next biting comment, the following venomous retort.

"Carry on, now. This fight is over," Pentecost ordered. Though, for him, it seemed almost meek. A sad resignation weighed heavily over his broad shoulders and the others that held the two pilots at bay looked equally burdened. A quiet rumbling discontent echoed as the crowd dispersed, leaving only the remaining pilots to observe.

"This fight is over," Pentecost repeated, a hard glare of warning piercing the wounded pride of the two pilots as he glared at them. "This is over," he finished quietly, tugging against the betrayed figure in his grasp. With a nod, the Hansens made their leave as he lead the fragile Beckett away.

"It's over," Chuck whispered to himself as he was lead away by his father and uncle. The only two people in his life that he could trust anymore.

_A/N: This is actually something that I added after I finished this story. I was working when this ideas just popped into my head. And I couldn't not have it in here. It was just too perfect and I felt as though it added to the story really well. I hope you like. :) _


	16. Chapter 16

_Year 2030, Post Kaiju War: 8 Weeks  
Decommissioned Hong Kong Shatterdome_

He was alive.

Chuck was _fucking_ alive.

Raleigh was going through the stack of photos again when the announcement was made on the intercom. Someone had found a jaeger escape pod and had only just reached the shores of Hong Kong. They had been trying to find a way into the Shatterdome but had been turned away every time. Apparently there had been trouble with look a likes before and the guards were having none of it.

Should have known Chuck would get through anyway. That man was a walking hurricane and not even a jaeger blowing up could stop him. It amused Raleigh to believe that he could take a kaiju out without the use of a jaeger to help him.

The minute that Herc and Persy had recognized him, the guy had been rushed straight to the infirmary where he was checked out. Only to be released a few hours later with a clean bill of health. He was brought to the debriefing room immediately after that to tell everyone what had happened. Raleigh was among the ones to sit in, but he couldn't find any words to express himself.

"My comms were busted when I woke up. Hell, I don't even remember Stacker ejecting me. When I realized I couldn't call for help and that no one was looking for me, I used the flare gun to try and get somebody's attention. I was out there for almost two whole days before that boat managed to fish me out. Can't tell you how hard it was to get me out of the damned suit," he grumbled, clutching his water bottle tightly. He had been taken care of on the ship, but that didn't mean it was the lap of luxury by any stretch.

"We are just glad you are alive," Mako murmured, taking a hand of the man next to her. They smiled softly at each other. It was gentle and Raleigh almost snorted from amusement. About time.

"Yeah, well me too. I know I said I would do it, but I can't tell you how terrified I was. And I'm man enough to say it."

"Being afraid to give your life to give your team mate time to destroy the breach isn't something to be ashamed about," Raleigh admonished softly. He didn't look at the man when he said it, he simply played with the grain of the wood table. His rough fingers scratching over the smooth polish of its surface. No one said anything for a long time.

"Well, now that it's all over and we have nothing to worry about, I guess its time to ask. Since you have been shut up in that room of yours for the past three weeks, Raleigh, and we haven't had the chance to really get it out of you: what is wrong with you?" Persy asked bluntly. Herc smacked his brother in the shoulder, the few others in the room scowling at him as well. He paid no mind and kept watching the former pilot.

"What are you talking about, Persy?" Mako asked quietly, her expression fierce as she stared the older man down.

"You know exactly what I mean. Ever since he came back he has been different. You don't remember things you should and you act like someone else entirely," he continued, turning to Raleigh. "You're not the man who we met in Manila six years ago and you're not the man who helped raise Mako. So what the hell is wrong with you?" It remained silent for a while as Raleigh refused to meet anyone's eye.

"When Yancy died," he began slowly. He paused, thinking over his answer. He had been trying to tell them, tell anyone, for years about what was going on. But the explanations and the excuses never came out. This would be the first time he gave voice to the nightmare in his head, the shards of identity that weren't his.

"When my brother died, we we're still connected. Something you all knew. But, what you don't know is that I felt it. I felt him die. Felt his pain and fear. I still feel it. Since the very beginning, Yancy and I had always shared a unique bond when we drifted. We never really stopped drifting. We were always in each other's head. Hell, since that first time, I don't remember there ever being a second where we weren't connected. It was enthralling, exhilarating. Like two people who were the same, but not. It always confused others- even pilots- but we understood it.

"When that kaiju breached the hull, we had a chance to cut the link, to be separate people when it all came crashing down and was over. We chose not to. We chose to be whole when we died. Which I guess I did. The person I am now is not the person I used to be. You say I'm broken; I say I'm different.

"Before Yancy was ripped out of the conn-pod, he did something. Changed something. When I woke up after I got back to shore, there was something different inside my head."

"Yeah, no shit," Chuck snorted derisively. Raleigh scowled at the man.

"You have no idea what it's like," he snarled from deep within his chest. A growl that left him quaking with rage. "Yancy fucking died when we were still one person sharing two bodies. The half of us that died with him wasn't just him. There were pieces of me that died with him, pieces of him that still reside in my head! I'm not alone in here, I haven't been since the first time I connected with Yancy." Raleigh was standing now, his body trembling; Chuck was quaking, even if he was trying to hide it.

"You don't get what it's like to have yourself broken and shattered, pieces of your mind and soul ripped away while the ghosted, demented parts of your brother are shoved in there even if they don't fucking fit. You don't fucking know what it's like to wake up one day and realize that you're loosing your memories! That holes are appearing that you know were full just a few hours ago while other ones are stuffed so full of fragmented information and images of a life you didn't experience. You don't know what it's like to know your brother is fucking dead but still have parts of him in there that disagree with it every single damn second until all you know is pain and agony because your so damned confused."

"Raleigh, I-"

"Fuck you, Chuck!" He roared. He shoved the stacks of paper in the center of the table towards the other man and stalked out, fuming. He couldn't deal with this. He had to be by himself. For the first time in years, Raleigh was afraid and the remaining parts of Yancy were screaming out in agony with him.

* * *

It was silent when he entered the bay. It wasn't as though he was expecting anyone to be in there. They had decided to build the Gipsy replica in a bay closer to the other fake jaegers. But it was still weird for there to be nothing in there. It was closed off, dark and still. Only one light shined in there: an electric lantern sat on the floor beside the person who had brought it. Raleigh was there, shuffling slowly through piles of pictures and letters and posters. They were scattered all around him as he sat cross legged in the center of the bay. Chuck missed the giant foot of the jaeger that belonged there with him.

He figured he could have said something, anything to make the silence more bearable, but he wasn't sure what the right words were. The guy was right; Chuck had no clue what it was like to be ripped apart like he had been and stuffed back into a single entity afterward. He had drifted with his father and with Stacker, and while drifting with the Marshal was much different, Chuck knew what a severed link was like. They had separated first, and he couldn't imagine what it would be like if they hadn't. Chuck liked being himself, he liked being connected with his uncle and his father the way he was. He couldn't- didn't want to- imagine what it was like to by a demented fragment of yourself walking around with pieces of another person inside you.

Instead of saying anything, he walked over to the man on the floor. He was better at keeping his steps quiet, but not as good as Raleigh apparently. Said man looked up with red rimmed eyes and pale skin. His hands were shaking and he looked like he had aged about ten years.

With nothing to say, Chuck kneeled down and looked at the man next to him. His slumped posture straightened, his spine cracked, his eyes hardened. His lips had tightened into a hard line and his jaw set. It was obvious he was preparing for a fight.

"I'm sorry. I knew you were fucked up after he died. I guess I just thought you would get better, go back to the way you were," he whispered. His voice was hoarse, loud in the oppressive emptiness of the bay. He was taller than Raleigh at the moment, but he knew the man still had some height over him. He found himself more intimidated by this ragged version of the self-assured and almost regale man he had met a few short months ago.

"Why didn't you open it?"

Chuck started, blinking rapidly as he opened and shut his mouth for an answer to a question he didn't understand. His unceremonious reply ended up coming out something akin to "Huh?"

"Your birthday present," the blond clarified, holding up the crumpled, blue box. Chuck felt like he had deflated. Earlier he would have been prepared to rip him a new one, explain to him in great detail just why he was prick and hadn't opened the present. But now... Chuck just didn't know what to say.

He huffed, flopping himself to sit down on the floor beside him. Gently taking the box, he turned it in his hands as he examined it, thinking of how to say what he had kept bottled up for so long.

"You left. You got it for me to open when I got there. But you were gone when I arrived in Alaska. And when you came back, you weren't you. You were vacant, gone. I went to your room after you left to see how you were doing, but all I found was this fucking box. I decided I wasn't going to open it until you came back and watched. And when you did come back, you didn't even fucking remember me."

"I did. Sorta. It's hard to explain," Raleigh replied, turning back to the photographs in his hands. One in particular stood atop them all: a kid of about fourteen with his head turned to the side and curiosity etched into his soft features behind a cracked glass. "Turns out that having so many photos is detrimental to my memory. Especially when everything is out of context. But you were there. I just had to unbury the memories from all the useless crap. It took a while and I wish I had figured it out before we went down there, but I remember." His voice was soft, ragged with emotion. Chuck was reminded strongly of the time when he had been in that bed and was fighting to apologize. When he was asking for help. Maybe he had been asking for more than a shoulder to cry on, but solid ground to rest on.

"Will you open it now?" He asked. His eyes were soft as he returned to Chuck's face, their blue hue again the brilliant shine from before Knifehead. Chuck smiled lightly, nodding in assent.

"It's stupid. I actually don't remember what we put in that," he chuckled thickly, blinking water back.

"Jerk. Guess you'll have to wait and see." They laughed quietly at that, dreading what they would find in there. Chuck's hands trembled as he slowly tore the paper off and broke the tape from the seams. It surprised him just how hard it had been not to open it all those years ago because, now that he was actually doing it, he couldn't seem to move fast enough.

When the box was opened, green bubble wrap met their eyes and a few small boxes toppled out. They each smiled at the idea of it being shock absorbent. Raleigh offered a small pocket knife for him to use as he opened it.

Chuck laughed when the packaging fell away. A digital camera and four memory cards sat in front of him. All the times he had burned images into his brain, knowing that he was never going to find a camera like Raleigh's or even a disposable one and he had one with him the whole time.

"I guess it really is never too late to start my own collection," he muttered. Raleigh laughed. A true, bright and happy laughter that filled the bay and lifted the oppressive sorrow. Chuck was happy to join in. He imagined that inside that blond head, Yancy was there with them. Shaking his head as he tried to look commanding but was really laughing just as hard.

The first picture Chuck took with his camera was of Raleigh and himself, laughing and teary eyed as they became anew.

* * *

_A/N: So this is the last chapter. I hope you guys liked the story. It's been fun. Thanks to all those who reviewed and followed. It means a lot._

_PS: In my opinion (which I know doesn't amount to much) I think that, by letting Chuck die with him, Pentecost broke his promise to Herc at the end of the movie. I know he never outright says he promises to bring the guy back, but seriously? The two were supposedly good friends. Besides, what sort of person would you have to be if you cared so much about a last hurrah and saving the world that you wouldn't shove your much younger drift partner into an escape pod before you blew yourself and two (well he thought it was two) kaiju up? It's just wrong and I believe that he was a much better person than that. And after writing this fic, I just couldn't stand not bringing him back from the dead! I know, I'm a total sucker for happy endings. :)_


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